Short Round
by JerichoSteele
Summary: Deeks returns to the streets, hunting the killer of several homeless veterans. He finds some new friends but they soon find themselves in a bit of trouble. Originally written for the WikiDeeks web page for the Pets of the Homeless charity drive. Story is finished and a chapter will post every few days. Hope you enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

It was hanging right where he'd left it the last time he been under for a case of this nature; the black trash bag tucked behind a couple of worn, long-sleeved flannel shirts on the right-hand side of his bedroom closet. He'd warned Kensi about it and even before she had started spending several nights a week at his place and she'd learned to give that particular piece of his wardrobe a wide berth. His warnings had been reinforced when she'd inadvertently opened it late one night when she'd mistaken it for the black garment bag that held his LAPD dress uniform. The resulting pungent emanations had sent even Monty sprinting for the relative fresh air of the living-room. From that day forward, Kensi new exactly what that bag held and left it for her boyfriend to deal with.

As Deeks tugged his undercover bag from its place of honor, he caught his reflection in the full length mirror that hung on the back of the closet door. The initial briefing for the mission had been only a week ago and now that the preliminary work had been completed by Eric and Nell who supplied all of the pertinent data, the next step was to get boots on the ground and that's why the detective found himself putting the final touches on his alias' clothing. Since the meeting up in Ops where it was decided that he'd be the tip of the spear, he'd stopped his occasional trimming of his beard, letting it fill in a little more, giving him an even scruffier appearance. Sam had taken several opportunities to teasingly point that out to him while Kensi had merely complained about how it tickled her when he kissed her neck, her stomach … or the insides of her thighs.

Another aspect of his 'method prep' had been to spend the last forty-five minutes rolling around with Monty out at the edge of his apartment building's parking lot where the crumbling pavement gave way to California dirt. Since he'd been wearing only a small pair of shorts, he was covered almost head to toe in dark smudges and smears that only added to the effect. After ensuring that he'd ground the dirt into his skin, he'd tugged on a weathered pair of ratty blue jeans and a battered t-shirt, then repeated the exercise. No one could ever claim that he ever took any short cuts with his disguises and pulling off this particular one was almost second nature. If any of the inhabitants of the camp he was planning to infiltrate that evening were to give him a thorough inspection, they'd find him to be the perfect example of a person that indwelled the dark recesses of the streets belonging to the City of Angels.

Deeks slung the bag holding his 'experienced' army jacket that had seen better days over his shoulder when the bedroom door slipped open, revealing an anxious Kensi Blye standing just outside in the hallway. After giving him the once over, she let her head drop to the floor at her feet before she spoke.

"You about ready, partner?"

Even through the grime and sweat covering his face, his crooked smirk was obvious. "Almost … I was just about to pull out old faithful here …"

It appeared that he was about to actually open the bag when Kensi's loud gasp pulled him up short.

"Don't you dare open that in here!" He couldn't hide his smile and her horrified expression morphed into one of her more infamous glares. "Ugh … I hate you almost as much as I hate that jacket." Kensi spun, her words thrown back at him over her shoulder as she moved down the hallway.

"Oh come on, Fern!" Deeks called out as he ambled his way after her. "You love this jacket … it's a classic."

"Yeah, if classic means something old and dead that should have been put out of its misery years ago." She'd stopped by his kitchen counter, resting her hip against the edge of the marble top.

The scruffy blonde stopped a few feet away, well aware of the odor his clothing and body were putting off into the air around him. "You stick with what works and it's been working pretty well for me over the past few years."

"Yeah … working if you want to attract every fly within a five mile radius." Kensi cackled at her little joke, even as she gave him the look that told him that it was killing her not to be wrapped up in his arms in the moments before he had to leave.

"Cute … real cute." He trailed off as he crept closer to her, forcing her to slide along the edge of the countertop to escape from him and the smell that struck her nose like a fist.

"Ugh … no, stay away … you _smell_."

Deeks stopped so he could pout, his hand covering his heart in mock pain. "You weren't saying that last night …" He waggled his eyebrows in that way that would either turn her on or annoy her, at the moment she wasn't sure which it was. " … _or_ this morning."

Kensi continued to ease her way toward the front door, pinching her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "That was before you played Wrestle Mania with Monty in the dirt … eeek! Don't you dare!" She squealed out loud when her boyfriend made a move to cut off her escape route but he pulled up short at the girlish sound that she'd made.

Deeks almost had her at the last moment but deferred to allow her to escape rather than suffer the fallout if he actually did make contact and 'share' his disguise with the woman he loved. He smiled warmly at her as she moved away from him, her back coming to rest against the front door, their eyes locking for a second or two … and they took a moment to enjoy it for what it was.

Kensi tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear, and Deeks felt his pulse quicken as the heat from their earlier bedroom activities returned. She caught his change in expression and cleared her throat to keep him from leading them down a path that would require large amounts of soap and water along with some serious scrubbing on his part. "Do you have everything you need?"

The look in Deeks eyes held nothing back and she felt a familiar heat rise from her chest and creep across her neck as he started to close with her.

"Yeah, well … almost." His look shifted and she felt the heat drop to her loins.

When she glanced back up at him, he was already upon her, his hand coming out toward her waist. Just before his fingers could wrap around her, she dropped her head as she turned the doorknob, giving her the chance to quickly duck away from him and out onto the terrace in front of his door. "Come on, Slow Poke … Callen and Sam are waiting for us."

Deeks stepped through his door, locking it behind him as he called playfully after her. "Does that mean I don't get a good-bye kiss?"

"I'd rather kiss Monty at this point!"

Shaking his head as he followed her down the steps, Deeks just couldn't let it go. "I can arrange that, Princess!"

...

 _Early the next morning, underneath the Dickenson Street overpass ..._

As the clouds of his deep sleep slowly cleared from his brain, the first sensation that clicked in his brain was that something rough and wet was lapping at his left cheek. He batted it away, his eyes remaining closed against the early morning light as he rolled further over onto his side. The wet whatever-it-was came back, this time leaving a trail of sticky moisture on the right side of his face. When he swatted in the nuisance's general direction, his fingers drifted through a patch of thick fur, stopping on a pointed ear, indicating that his sleeping partner was awake before he was.

Clearing his throat, the sleeping man roused himself, his eyes blinking open at the world coming into focus. A black nose swam in front of his face, nuzzling into his forehead as a thick, pink tongue flopped around just inches from his face.

"Short Round … how many times do I have to tell you … " The man's voice was rough from slumber, but there was tenderness in his tone. " … no licking the face, you've got cooties."

The brown haired shepherd-retriever mix cocked his head to the side, like he was trying to decipher the sounds that his master was making with his mouth. His ears were up and his tail flipped back and forth behind him, causing the dog's back hips to roll from side to side, indicating that in his dog brain … all was right in the world. When his tongue snaked out and headed for the man's face once more, there was a playful look in the animal's brown eyes and for a moment, his owner was positive the dog was doing it on purpose.

Turning his head at the last moment, the man everyone knew as "Gunny", ducked away from his friend but that only seemed to encourage the animal even more. Suddenly, one of the dog's front legs hooked itself over his master's shoulder as if he was trying to wrestle the man back to the ground.

"Awwww … come on boy! Let daddy up!" Gunny shoved lightly on the animal's side, spinning him away so that the man could finally pull himself from the pad of cardboard boxes that had been his bed. When he had enough room, Short Round spun around twice on the spot Gunny had just vacated before plopping down on his stomach, his legs splayed out in four different directions.

"Un uh … you woke me up … that means you have to get up too!" He ruffled the fur between the dog's ears, eliciting a soft bark. "Come on boy … no time for lazing about … need to see if we can find some breakfast this morning."

Gunny stood to his full height, his back and shoulders popping as he stretched, thankful that the night's rest seemed to have done him good, the usual nightmares leaving him alone for at least one more evening. When he cast his gaze around him, the small homeless community that he and Short Round occupied was coming to life. Several members were already trudging their way from under the over pass, heading out to do whatever it was that they did. A few would head toward some of the busy street intersections, holding up signs asking for food or a work … or anything that would give them hope for just one more day. Others would head toward some of the business districts where they would hang out on the corners, their hands cupped in the universal gesture of _Please … give me something_. Sometimes the people that they met would give, but more often than not, the homeless and the panhandlers were simply ignored … like they were just part of the scenery, the back ground, like they weren't there at all.

He'd been on the streets long enough to know that it wasn't personal, that the good citizens of the City of Angels held no real ill-will toward the people who wandered through their great city with no possessions other than what they wore on their backs or pushed along in an 'acquired' shopping cart. It was just that when there was an issue that you had no idea how to handle or address, you had two choices: you could come up with a plan to deal with the problem, or you could simply ignore it. Well, most of the people that he and his compatriots encountered fell into the latter part of those options.

In some philosophical circles, the homeless and destitute were labeled "The Invisible Ones", and for the most part, that title fit them. But Gunny saw that a more descriptive moniker would have been "The Ignored Ones" and that irked him more than the former. Calling them invisible meant that they couldn't be seen, that the people that they met on the streets had no idea that another human being was right in front of them and needed their help. Referring to themselves as the _ignored_ fit their reality better. People would look them square in the face … them simply turn away, like they hadn't seen anything at all worth their time or effort.

That's probably what hurt Gunny the most. Being treated like you didn't matter by another person always grated on him and sometimes put him into one of those moods that even a playful Short Round couldn't pull him out of. That's where he had been yesterday and luckily, a good night's sleep had erased most of his bad memories from the day before. Today was a new day and he intended to keep his spirits high, lest he descend into the darkness that seemed to hover just under the surface of his usual calm persona.

As his dog sprung to his feet, Gunny pushed aside the cardboard sheeting that had made up the roof of his makeshift sleeping quarters for the night. It had been a little unseasonably cool for LA, and the extra layers of protection had allowed the two of them to get several hours of uninterrupted rest. As he flipped the brown material over toward the edge of the concrete barrier that served as the lower support column that held up a section of the bridge over their heads, he caught sight of two huddled masses just outside his box. There was one long one and a smaller one wrapped up together in an old wool blanket against the cool morning air.

Short Round rocked back on his haunches, his tail still wagging and his ears pointed up in curiosity. Since the dog was calm and relaxed, Gunny knew that there was nothing in their guests' scent that indicated any type of immediate danger. As he let the cardboard sheet land softly on the ground, the larger bump began to move.

As the person rocked up to a sitting position, a tangled mess of blonde hair fell over the collar of his dirty green jacket. As the man reached up to wipe the sleep from his eyes, the tattered blanket moved and a mangy short-haired dog poked his head out to sniff the morning air and inspect the man and fellow canine waiting just a few feet away. As Gunny watched, the blonde man's head snapped up to his, blues locking with his.

"Hey … sorry … didn't know this was your spot … we'll move on." Deeks shuffled to his feet, catching the short piece of frayed rope attached to the leather collar around the dog's neck.

Raising his hands in what he hoped was a calming gesture, Gunny cleared his throat. "No man … it's cool." When his words didn't have the desired effect, he decided that maybe a little small talk would help. "You guys are new around here, aren't ya?"

The stranger seemed to relax slightly, the hand tugging on the rope slowly dropping to his side. "Uh … yeah … wandered in last night."

"When was the last time you ate, son?" Gunny hoped it didn't sound condescending; it was just how he spoke to hopefully build a connection with the stranger.

Luckily, the other man's stomach growled at that particular moment, even the scruffy dog seemed to grumble along with his owner. There was an awkward pause and then the two men shared a soft laugh that finally broke the tension between them.

"Sounds like you … the both of you … could use some breakfast." Gunny patted his thigh and Short Round trotted over to heel by his right leg. The stranger's eyes followed the disciplined movement, catching the tight bond between the big man and the dog. He nodded slightly toward where the animal had stopped.

"Maybe you can teach me that trick?"

Gunny just grinned. "No trick … just a well-trained and obedient friend." His hand dropped to rub the spot between the dog's ears with his knuckles. "Come on … let's go hunt down some chow." He didn't wait for a response before he turned and headed out toward the more open lot that sat on the edge of what had once been some type of warehouse. There were a few others still hanging around, either still under the effects of whatever was coursing through their systems or just too afraid to leave any of their belongings unsupervised. Since Gunny and Short Round had nothing to speak of, they had nothing to lose.

As he reached the edge of where the dirt turned into sparse grass, Gunny smiled when he sensed the two new additions falling into step with him. The two dogs paused for a moment, to do the usual 'you sniff mine and I'll sniff yours' routine as the two men took a moment to make some sort of introduction themselves.

To Gunny's surprise, the stranger went first. "I'm Stretch … thanks for letting us crash near your spot." To the homeless, their 'spot' was a major deal, eliciting strong emotions and protectiveness that sometimes resulted in scuffles and swinging fists. Meeting someone who was willing to not only allow an incursion into what was deemed private property but something akin to showing the newbie the location of food … it was all building a connection after only a few minutes.

"No problem, Stretch … you can call me Gunny." Habits were hard for the older man to break and his hand was coming up to offer the bond of a handshake, a gesture the blonde seemed happy to return.

As their hands feel away, Deeks inclined his head toward his dog. "This is Monty."

Gunny bent slightly at the hips, his right hand coming up slowly, palm down so that the animal could decide if he wanted to come any closer to the stranger. Monty paused only for a second before sniffing the offered hand, and then he surprised them both by licking across the back of the man's knuckles. Both men chuckled at that, Stretch patting the animal gently across his back. "Well, that settles it … if he likes you … you must be alright."

The older man ran his fingers across the dog's snout, rubbing the little divot between the animal's eyes. Monty seemed to like the attention, his tail wagging quickly back and forth through the air. "Good to know I passed the test." When he straightened up, he cocked his head to the side toward the larger dog. "This is Short Round … best friend in the world."

Deeks mimicked Gunny's earlier movement, allowing the larger and more ferocious looking of the two animals to smell him as well. He apparently passed as well, the dog nuzzling into his hand as he scratched behind his ears. "Nice to meet you both."

Gunny was pleased that his new companions had passed the inspection that not many others had. "Come on you two … let's see what we can find this lovely morning."

The four companions fell into step together, Monty ambling along on Deeks' left side while Short Round walked in perfect step with Gunny. The precision with which the two of them moved didn't go unnoticed by the younger man. "Wow, you weren't kidding about his training."

Gunny bumped the dog's side with his knee as they walked, the animal pushing playfully back. "Like I said … best in the world."

Smiling at the two companions, Deeks shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of his worn jacket. "So, they call you Gunny … military?" There was a slight stutter in the other man's steps and it appeared as if the initial good connection was in trouble. "Sorry, sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain."

Gunny's hand came up quickly to cut him off. "No … it's okay … just not used to people asking me questions. Short Round's the only person I get to have conversations with most of the time and they tend to be a little one-sided, if you know what I mean." After receiving a nod in agreement, he continued. "Yeah … Marines … 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd FSSG."

"FSSG?" Deeks couldn't have looked any more confused it he had tried.

Gunny chuckled softly to himself. "Sorry, military jargon … FSSG is a Fleet Service Support Group … made up of engineers, ammo techs, logistical support, motor transportation, communication … basically everything that the Grunts on the ground need in order to be able to stomp the crap out of anybody in their way."

"Learn something new every day." Deeks inclined his head toward his companion. "Thank you for your service."

That brought Gunny up short, halting in his steps and Short Round stopping right beside him.

"Gunny? You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that …" The older man ran a hand up over the top of his head, slipping through the mess that was his long hair. "… it's been a long time since anyone thanked me for anything."

The emotions tangled up in the man's words were enough to stop the shaggy blonde as well. "Well, let me be the first then … thank you."

For a moment, there was a glistening in the veteran's eyes, but he blinked several times until it was gone, the intense look of appreciation remaining. "You're welcome."

A breath later and they had resumed their trek to whatever destination Gunny was leading them toward, the moment behind them. Then Deeks started talking again. "Desert Storm? Panama?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions."

Deeks seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Sorry, just trying to get to know you better … you are taking me out to eat … first date and all."

That caused Gunny to break out in a hearty laugh, strong and loud, and then he said something that made the other man laugh along with him. "Touché." Catching the strange look that passed over the younger man's face, Gunny had to ask. "What so funny?"

"Nothing, just nice to know someone who knows how to use that word in the correct manner."

As they left the dusty lot for the concrete of the sidewalk, Gunny leading them off toward the south, he made a quick comment.

"You're a strange one, Stretch ... I'll give you that."

...


	2. Chapter 2

**SHORT ROUND**

 **Chapter 2**

As the two men and their dogs meandered toward an old strip mall, they both fell into a comfortable silence. When they drew closer, the older man directed them to make a right which led them toward a few vacant store fronts where there were several people were setting up long tables, placing small bags and boxes along them.

As they neared the closest one on the corner, Deeks reduced his pace and Monty slowed with him. Gunny took one more step before stopping himself to peer over at his new companion. "Stretch?"

"What is this place?" There was a look of apprehension on the man's dirty face.

"No worries ... these are good people." He held out a hand, gesturing that they should move on and smiled when Deeks and Monty hesitated only a moment before stepping up beside them.

On the side walk in front of a large set of windows, there was a row of white tables and several people standing behind them opening up an array of coolers and boxes. When the wind shifted, an array of aromas assaulted the men and the closer that they came, the stronger the smells became.

"Morning Gunny, sleep well?" A younger man with dark hair stepped around the end of the tables, his expression kind and gentle. He and Gunny exchanged a firm handshake then the man's eyes shifted to Deeks. "And I see you and Short Round brought some guests. My name's Robby, nice to meet you." His hand came up and hung there, waiting.

Gunny stepped slightly to the side, allowing the other man to make a greeting or not. He smiled to himself when his new friend shook the hand of the man who stood before him.

"Stretch ..." He stumbled a little as a mutt brushed against his legs. " ... and this is Monty."

Robby knelt to give the scruffy dog a friendly greeting, the animal allowing the stranger to scratch him briefly behind his ears. When they were finished, he stood and inclined his head toward the tables behind him where the others were piling wax paper-wrapped sausage biscuits and hash browns. "You guys look hungry ... come on, help yourselves."

Deeks stepped up first, his eyes wide and his mouth watering. "Wow, quite a spread."

"Every Saturday morning, without fail." Gunny moved in behind the blonde as a young woman with a beautiful smile handed them both a bundle of the still warm food.

Robby walked with them through the line that was quickly filling with more street people, some not as polite as others. When two very large men shoved their way toward the front, almost knocking over an elderly female, the former Marine had seen enough. He moved effortlessly through the line with Short Round at his side, the animal's tail rigid behind him and his ears low. Just as the two behemoths snatched more than their share from a pair of startled teenagers behind the table, Gunny cleared his throat.

"Guys ... no need to forget your manners."

When the men turned, their shoulders were already rolling up in a defiant stance ... that is, until they saw who was addressing them. And the dog, with the slightly bared teeth, close by his side.

"Uh ... Gunny?"

Even though the older man was smaller in height and mass, he stood his ground, confident and sure. "Yeah, Franklin ... you and Titus need to wait your turns, just like the rest of us." His arms were relaxed at his sides and his feet were spread shoulder width apart, but Deeks could sense the restrained power in the man's body. While he appeared calm, his stance was more like a coiled cobra preparing to strike. Titus and his partner noticed this as well.

"Uh ... yeah ... sorry Gunny, didn't mean to cut."

"I'm not the one to whom you need to apologize." He titled his head to the older woman who had shuffled off to the side, her head hung low. "Sometimes, we're all we have out here boys ... we have to stick together."

The shamed men bowed their heads, each offering their meals to the woman they had been rude to. Franklin's voice was soft and gentle when he spoke. "Sorry, Stella … here, take ours."

Stella's head came up and she shot a soft grin over to Gunny as she took the pro-offered food. "Thank's boys ... and thank you Gunny." He tipped his head toward her as she moved on down the line while the two big men stepped around the Marine and his dog as they moved toward the back.

Deeks let out a heavy sigh. "Wow, that was impressive."

"He's kinda the peacekeeper around here." Robby had moved up beside the blonde, his demeanor kind and friendly. "Makes it better for everyone out here when he's around."

Deeks nodded. "Why are you guys doing this for us?"

The warm chuckle that came from the younger man seemed out of place with all the homeless and destitute that were milling around them. "We just come out here to help you guys out ... angels in disguise and all."

"You're angels in disguise?"

The man's smile was infectious. "Not us silly ... you guys." When Robby saw the confused look on the man's face, he explained as they moved down the line toward the bottled drinks. "We believe that when we help the least that this world has to offer ... we are making a difference."

"You guys aren't religious nuts or kooks are you?"

Robby's chuckle was genuine and Deeks found himself smiling at the other man. "Just loving our neighbors like we're supposed to."

"That ... that's pretty cool, bro." Deeks took a bite of the breakfast biscuit, the sausage and egg overwhelming his taste buds and a soft moan escaped his lips. He caught the pleased look on Robby's face, but something over the man's shoulder caught his attention. Inclining his head, he nodded toward the end of the tables where Gunny was in a conversation with a tall woman with long, auburn hair. "Who's Gunny talking to?"

Robby turned to look. "Oh, that's Carmen."

Deeks, maintaining his cool and detached demeanor, let his eyes drift over the female, taking note from how close the two of them were standing to each other, that this probably wasn't their first meeting. She was only a few inches shorter than the former Marine and she seemed to have a strong presence about her. Gunny was listening to what Carmen was saying, nodding at times and shaking his head in the negative on occasion.

"Is she a part of your group?" Deeks turned back to his host.

"Not officially, she works down at the local VA hospital ... she's one of their counselors." At the mention of the Veteran's Administration, Deeks' shoulders tensed but it was so slight, Robby didn't notice. "She comes down here almost every Saturday with us, asking the vets that show up if there's anything that she and the people that she works with can do for them. Sometimes she gets some bites ... most of the time, she doesn't."

"We're not the most trusting lot." Deeks broke off part of his sandwich and handed it down to a patient Monty who had surprisingly kept his whining to a minimum.

"Can't say I blame any of you. Most people won't even give you the time of day, much less stand around and talk to you on a cool Saturday morning."

Deeks shot the other man an affectionate grin, not knowing him from Adam, but immediately aware that he'd made another friend that morning. Turning slightly, he noticed that Gunny was working his way back down the line in front of the tables, Carmen a few steps behind him. Off to their right, two middle-aged members of Robby's group were waving at the younger man, trying to get his attention.

"Stretch, looks like they need me for a moment." He clapped his new friend on the back of his shoulder, before stepping away. "Oh yeah, at the end of the tables, they've got some things for your dogs as well ... some Alpo or Kennel Ration ... something like that. Stop by and pick up one of the care packages on your way out."

Deeks was stunned. "You guys even brought stuff for the dogs?"

Robby smile was as bright as the morning sun. "They live out here too, you know." He waved his good-bye as one of the women from earlier pulled him around toward the stack of coolers.

Turning away, Deeks felt a surge of appreciation for the men, women, and teenagers that had sacrificed their morning to come out and serve them breakfast, hand out bags of supplies, clothes and essentials. But the point that stood out the most was that they had remembered that there were other residents out on the streets besides the humans that dwelled there. In all of his travels, he'd never seen a group handing out small bags of dog food and even flea collars; whoever these people were, they were unlike anyone else he'd ever encountered. Before he could come up with the right words, Gunny was stepping up beside him, a concerned expression on his sun-wrinkled face.

"Something wrong Gunny?"

A dark look flittered across the older man's eyes, but he schooled it quickly, turning back to neutral. "Oh, yeah, Stretch ... nah, it's nothing."

Deeks let the moment slide, turning to look at the beauty that stood close by the Gunny's side. On first look, Carmen was indeed a beautiful woman, with deep brown eyes and tanned skin, but on closer inspection, the lines around her eyes betrayed her age as closer to Gunny's, probably in her late thirties, maybe even early forties. But life and her genetics treated her well and for her age, she was stunning.

"Sorry, forgot my manners for a bit ... Stretch, this lovely lady is Carmen ... Carmen, Stretch." Gunny gestured awkwardly with his hand, like he was some shy teenager introducing a friend to the cutest girl in school. Deeks caught Carmen's cheeks coloring at the Marine's stumbling introduction, but she made no other indication she noticed.

"Pleased to meet you, Stretch."

"Likewise, ma'am."

That got her attention but her soft laugh kept the moment light. "Oh please, call me Carmen ... ma'am makes me sound like my mother."

Deeks ducked his head, his smirk obvious. "Sorry ma'am ... I mean ... _Carmen_ ... that's just how I was raised."

If he thought she was beautiful before, when she smiled he felt his chest constrict around his lungs. "You sound like Gunny. He still uses 'ma'am', no matter how many times I tell him it's unnecessary."

"My ancestors would come out of their graves and hunt me down if I didn't pay respect to a lady." Gunny stood tall, proud of his southern heritage that was evident in his slight drawl. When Carmen glanced over at the Marine, Deeks saw a flash of affection hidden in her brown eyes and he wondered just how long these two had known each other. She dropped her head, allowing her long tresses to hide the slight blush that was creeping across her cheeks.

"A true gentleman." Her compliment was sincere.

Gunny just smirked. "Proud of it … just don't tell everyone, I've got my bad boy reputation to uphold."

The woman actually giggled, her hand coming up to cover her mouth, and in that instant, Deeks knew that she actually was enjoying the time she was spending with two grimy men who hadn't had a real bath in far too long. It spoke of her empathy for those who struggled in maintaining the type of lifestyle dictated by society and the standards set by those who had never been in need of a simple helping hand. In the brief few moments that he'd known her, this woman had impressed him and he was happy to have met her this fine morning.

"Don't worry, Gunny … you're secret is safe with me." She emphasized her statement by placing her hand on the man's upper arm, curling her fingers around the sleeve of his tattered and dirty jacket. When she didn't remove it right away, Deeks' mind flew to any number of snarky comments about the physicality that she was displaying, but Gunny's mood shifted suddenly, stopping any quips the blonde man could come up with.

Carmen noticed as well, but her hand remained where it was. "Gunny …"

"How many this time?"

Deeks had an idea what that question could mean, and the rigidity of the Marine's posture indicated that it whatever it was, it was serious.

"Gunny … don't do this."

When the veteran looked up at her, Deeks could see the pleading look in the blue of his eyes. "Carmen … please …"

The woman dropped her gaze to the pavement at their feet, her voice low and sad when she finally answered. "Two … two more this morning."

"Dammit." The word came out of Gunny's mouth in a quick sigh and Carmen's hand squeezed his arm gently. "Dammit!" The second time he said it, Deeks could have sworn that there were tears in the syllables.

"What … what are you two talking about?" Deeks had a bad feeling that the reason he was here had touched these nice people in a way that would leave scars behind.

"Later, Kid."

It was all Gunny could say at for the moment, but he turned to look intently over at Carmen. A silent conversation commenced between the man and the woman, the only changes in their facial expressions were the movements of their eyes. It was over in a few moments, the message clear that this wasn't something to be discussed any further in public, with listening ears all around.

Carmen let her hand finally fall away from where she'd been holding onto Gunny, but they stayed close as she turned her eyes to Deeks. She looked nervous but she swallowed it down, giving him another one of those beautiful smiles. "Sorry to run, but there are some folks here this morning that I've been wanting to speak with and I'd like to catch them before they slip away … so if you two will excuse me …"

She turned to move away, but stopped herself at the last moment, her hand coming back up to latch onto Gunny's forearm. "Hey, Gunny … you know … if you want to …" Now she was the one sounding all nervous and shy. " … come down and see us at the VA … maybe talk to someone and get some help …"

Gunny raised a dirty hand to cover the one on his arm, giving her a soft squeeze to cut her off gently. "I don't know … I just … I'm not sure if I'm ready, okay?"

Carmen nodded, schooling her disappointment behind another friendly smile. "Okay … it's okay …" Her hand slipped from his forearm after giving another firm squeeze before she stepped back. " … just keep it in mind, alright?"

His response was a warm smile and a soft, "Okay."

Carmen gave him a gentle but sad nod of her head and Deeks could swear that her eyes glistened slightly when she gave the man's arm a soft pat before moving away. "In any case, whatever you decide … just know that we'll always be there if you need us."

She gave Gunny one final nod as she stepped back toward the still moving line. "Pleasure to meet you, Stretch."

The smirk on his face should have told her what was coming. "Likewise … ma'am."

The two finally parted, Gunny nodding his head as he dropped his eyes back to the ground. Carmen smiled once more back at Deeks before turning back to the line that was still trudging past the tables and the people busy handing out bags of necessities. She wasn't too far away when Gunny's head snapped back up to watch her weave through the crowd, stopping every so often to speak to someone, her long dark hair cascading across her shoulders and down her back. Just before she disappeared from sight, she turned to look back at the two men with a huge smile on her face and she gave them a quick wave of her hand, then she was gone.

Gunny paused for a few seconds before collecting the bags he'd received from the little group of Samaritans, Short Round's tail thumping against the backs of his legs. Without a word, he turned and headed back the way that they had come, leaving Deeks to snatch up his own supplies and quickly follow. He caught up to the other man just as he rounded a corner into a dingy alleyway that ran down the length of one of the abandoned buildings. Deeks was about to ask where they were going when the Marine suddenly stopped and spun to rest his back against the red brick wall behind him.

When his friend dropped his bags to the ground, Deeks moved to stand beside him, mirroring his position against the wall. The two of them stayed that way for several moments, Short Round sitting just to Gunny's left side and Monty doing his best to look interested in what the humans were doing, which appeared to be nothing other than breathing. Letting out a long sigh, Gunny let his knees bend, slowly lowering himself until he was sitting on the dirty asphalt, Deeks dropping down beside him soon after.

When he still didn't speak, Deeks rummaged around in one of the plastic bags that held the supplies that Gunny had collected for him, pulling out a piece of blue rope tied in the rough shape of a bone. Monty saw what it was and immediately began to wrestle with his friend over the new toy. They played like that for a few minutes, Short Round's head cocking from side to side as if he was thinking _What in the world are those two doing!_ It wasn't that he didn't know how to play, it just seemed to shock him that another dog knew how too as well.

Gunny finally snapped out of whatever funk he'd been in, noticing the antics of his friends as they continued to play. He dropped his hand to Short Round's back, running his hand up until it rested between the animal's ears and ruffling the fur under his fingers. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper and Deeks had to strain to hear him above the shuffling of Monty's claws on the ground.

"You know, a lot of the people are out here because they've got something weighing them down … something that takes away their willingness to live by the rules that this world cooks up." He paused but Deeks knew that he was far from finished. After taking a couple of deep breaths, the former Marine continued.

"Sometimes they have a demon on their back … whether its booze, grass, coke, crack, meth … it controls them, drives them out onto the streets and away from everybody and anybody that could help them work it out." He absentmindedly reached into his own bag and pulled out a piece of red rope shaped just like Monty's and in an instant, he too was playing tug-of-war with the dog at his side. "But a few weeks ago, some new nightmare showed up out here … some new, cheap drug that popped up and it's been wreaking havoc ever since. It hooks you almost as fast as it kills you."

The detective's hands stilled for a moment as those words sank in. "Do you know what it is or where it's coming from?"

Gunny just shook his head. "No … no, I don't … but I've seen it." At his friend's curious and fearful expression, he explained. "I was the one who found the third body … he still had some of it in a baggy with his things."

"Did you give it to the cops?"

Gunny's face turned down for a second, but after a brief moment of hesitation, he looked back up, his eyes slightly clouded but his voice was clear. "Nothing against our boys in blue, but city hall doesn't put a priority in a spike of homeless overdoses out here."

Deeks swallowed whatever he was about to say, instead he spoke the words that he dreaded to utter. "How many?"

There was a long sigh as Gunny ran his hand through his long hair, letting it wrap around the back of his neck. "Six ... as of this morning ... and that's not counting the ones Carmen mentioned."

"Damn."

"Yeah ... pretty much."

They sat in relative silence for several minutes, the only movements made by the dogs playing around their legs. Finally, Deeks let out a soft moan, stretching his long legs out in front on his body. He rolled quickly to his feet, extending his arms over his head, elongating his body to extraordinary lengths before glancing back down at Gunny.

"I've got visit the little boys room, watch Monty for me?"

Gunny reached over to tug on the rope in the animal's mouth. "You got it. Just around the corner, there are some dumpsters, good place for taking care of your business."

The tall man nodded. "Be right back." He was a few steps away when he called over his shoulder. "Monty, be good."

The dog huffed out a soft bark, seemingly content to wrestle around with Gunny and Short Round while his friend was away. Deeks walked around the corner, finding the metal dumpsters right where Gunny said that they would be and, after glancing around to make sure there was no one anywhere nearby, he stepped into the soft shadows. He fiddled with the front of his pants, making it look like he was actually relieving himself, while the truth was, he was tugging a cell phone from the inner waist band. He tapped out his access code with one hand while pretending to hold himself with the other, whistling to add to the cover of the homeless bum urinating against the brick building.

Deeks' right hand held his phone as his thumb punched out a quick text, punching SEND when he finished. He stuffed the phone back into his pants and brushed his hands over his legs, stepping back out into the alley to make his way back over to where he could hear Gunny laughing at something the dogs were doing.

Several blocks away, in a Silver SRX parked against the edge of the street, Deeks' partner's phone chirped, alerting her to an incoming message. Special Agent Kensi Blye tapped her phone's UNLOCK button and saw that the message that she'd been waiting anxiously had finally arrived. She tapped the screen, a soft smile formed on her pretty face as she read the short text, thankful that it wasn't an 'Agent in Distress' or something even worse. When she'd read it twice to make sure there were no secret codes hidden within the letters, she activated the ear bud transmitter in her right ear and was immediately connected to the rest of the team back in operations.

Eric Beale's voice squeaked softly in her ear. "Go ahead, Kensi … everyone's listening."

Kensi kept her words brief, residual concern for her absent partner hanging in her mind.

"Deeks is in."

...


	3. Chapter 3

SHORT ROUND

Chapter 3

…

"Update, Mr. Beale." Hetty stopped directly in front of the large monitor in Operations as the team finished assembling behind her. That is, all of the team minus the LAPD detective currently out on the streets of LA.

While Sam and Callen took up their usual spots close to Nell and Eric's work stations, Kensi held herself back slightly, leaving a gap between herself and her teammates … a gap that her partner would normally have occupied. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since they had dropped him off on a darkened alley where he would begin his trek to the homeless camp that he was to infiltrate. And she missed his presence dearly.

The screen in front of them blinked as Eric shuffled several files into view, some in text format while others were smaller pictures of streets and faces. When they turned to the display, the analyst cleared his throat before he began.

"As you all know, Deeks is now under in the camp that's close to where the deaths have occurred. We're hoping he can find some hint as to where this drug is coming from before it spreads and we can't contain it." He finished, standing up with Nell as she typed away on the pad in her hands.

The red-haired tech inclined her head toward the screen. "The lab has preliminary identified the concoction as a combination of cocaine along with several prescription medications typically used in the treatment of depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and even PTSD."

"But why is it killing? This doesn't sound like it should be all that dangerous." Sam folded his thick arms across his broad chest.

Nell pulled up another report. "The forensic reports show that the anti-psychotics were already in the victim's systems before the cocaine was introduced. It was also discovered that the cocaine hasn't been refined … it's almost 100% pure … way more potent than anything that LAPD narcotics has seen in some time. It makes its consumers feel that they're on top of the world, nothing to worry about, and lowers their ability to realize that something isn't as it should be."

Kens felt a rush of longing as her thoughts turned to something her partner and boyfriend had mentioned just after their first briefing on the drug deaths. "Deeks said something about that … the purity of the coke." She waited until she had everyone's attention before she continued. "When dealers move into a new area or are just getting started up with pushing, one of the ways that they get their clientele 'hooked', is by providing really powerful stuff the first time around … the folks who use it are addicted from almost the very first hit."

"So, we might be dealing with a new and upcoming pusher …" Sam leaned back against the center console.

" … or one that's been in the game for a while but is broadening his territory." Cullen finished his partner's thought while pointing to the screen. "But we've seen pure content coke on the streets before and it didn't kill like this; it just doesn't make sense."

"It does when you take into account the victims who have died." Hetty folded her hands in front of herself. "All of the ones that were brought to our attention were people who had been living on the streets, long-term."

Callen nodded in understanding. "Poor nutrition, possible dehydration, vitamin deficiency … their systems just couldn't handle the strain."

Nell pointed to the screen. "Exactly. The causes of death were listed as 'Asphyxiation by extreme depression of respiratory system function'."

Sam cocked his head to the side. "Could I get that in English, please?"

Kensi's background in forensics prompted her to answer in a low voice. "It means … it means that they took the drug, went to sleep … and simply stopped breathing."

All of them fell into silence for a few moments, their thoughts going out the ones that had already been lost and the ones that could possibly die before they could find the source and plug it. As they contemplated the consequences of failure, Hetty inclined her head toward the screen.

"Ms. Jones, the second victim, if you please."

A few finger taps later and the screen filled with the face of a man in the uniform of the United States Navy. "Petty Officer Second Class, Daniel H. Preston; thirty-two, served in Operation Enduring Freedom and other operations as a bomb disposal technician; Purple Heart, Bronze Star … diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder four years ago and given a medical discharge soon after."

"And he ended up homeless and dead in a cardboard box in the City of Angels." Sam let out a disgusted grunt as he spoke. "His country let him down."

"An oversimplification for certain, Mr. Hanna. We do not know all of the factors that led to his fall from society … but I cannot argue with your assessment." Hetty turned to face the agents and analysts in front of her. "But let's not let his death or the deaths of these others, be in vain. Let us use it to save the ones that we can. Agreed?" She received a series of firm nods in response; her team focused and intent, just like they should be. "Since the pharmaceuticals are primarily centered around the treatment of PTSD, the LAPD narcotics division have ascertained that the source must be someone with access to those particular items and with the fact that all of the recorded deaths have occurred in the same general location … we must focus our investigative efforts in that area. And since some of the victims aren't veterans and shouldn't have access to the drugs used in the treatment of PTSD, we have to discover how they are obtaining those as well."

"If the source continues to operate and deal out this stuff … Deeks will find it." Callen's confidence in the detective caught them all a little off guard, no one more so than Kensi. When the senior agent chanced a look in her direction, he gave her a half-hearted shrug. "What? We all know that no one could play this better than Deeks."

Sam couldn't let the serious moment pass without some snarky comment. "Yeah, who else has a jacket that's so close to being some kid's freaky science experiment?"

When Kensi shot him a dangerous look, the good-natured smile on his face let her know that despite the jabs and jokes, the big SEAL would move heaven and earth to protect her shaggy-haired partner. That thought caused her glare to morph into a look of amusement. "See? I knew he'd finally wear you guys down."

Both Callen and Sam shook their heads in disagreement, the blue-eyed leader speaking first. "Nah … we just don't want anything happening to the only person on this planet that can keep you in a good mood."

Sam leaned over and bumped her elbow with his arm. "Yeah, no one likes a pissed-off Kensi … there just aren't enough Twinkies in the world to fix that."

...

 _Out on the streets of LA_ …

By the time the two men and the dogs had made it back to where they had spent the night, all of the cardboard from Gunny's makeshift dwelling had been 'appropriated' by some of the other dwellers of the dusty lot. Deeks waited to see what the older man's reaction would be and was relieved when it seemed to roll off the man's back like water off a duck. They simply continued to walk along the concrete barrier until they exited onto another dirty side street that would take them toward some of the better parts of the neighborhood they were in.

After walking a few yards down the sidewalk, Deeks chanced a quick look over at the man beside him, finding his expression neutral, as if nothing was amiss.

"Gunny?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not upset that someone took your stuff?"

The old Marine smiled down at the ground. "Nah … no big deal. There's a recycling place a few blocks over and those who are willing to make the trek can get all the cardboard that they want."

As they continued on, Deeks was again impressed once more by the dignity and poise with which the older man carried himself, the years of military drill and professionalism hammered into the man's character as well as the way he handled himself. The incident back at the tables revealed that the man beside him not only had the respect of those who he shared the streets with, but almost everyone else he'd met had a high opinion of him. Especially the beautiful Carmen.

When they came to the end of the street, Deeks began to wonder exactly where they were headed and took a moment to adjust the worn shoes on his feet. "Mind telling me where we're headed?"

Gunny inclined his head in the direction that they had been traveling. "I always take Short Round to the park on Saturday … let him run around, feel the grass under his paws for a little while."

The man's kindness toward the animal at his side touched the detective; not many men would think about the welfare of others before himself, but especially not of a dog. There was a bond there that went beyond a simple master and his pet.

"You and he are pretty tight." Deeks commented as the light changed and the four of them began to cross the street, then suddenly, Gunny was shoving against his back, causing him to shoot forward along with Monty. He was just getting his feet back under him when he heard screeching brakes and a loud horn right next to them. When he looked up, there was a large black Cadillac Escalade angled across the right hand lane with pieces of the driver's side mirror scattered across the pavement at their feet. When he glanced over to check on his friend, the older Marine was rubbing the bicep of his left arm, a slight wince on his face.

Before Deeks could say a word, the vehicle's driver was stumbling onto the street, his face red and his eyes livid. "You idiot! You broke my mirror!" He stepped up to Gunny and for a moment, it appeared as if he was about to put his hands on the other man. "I'm going to kick your ass!"

Gunny continued to massage his arm where the mirror had struck him when he was shoving Deeks out of the vehicle's path, his face remaining calm and passive. "We were in the crosswalk and we had the light."

"Screw you … you homeless piece of shit!" He made the mistake of actually reaching out and grabbing Gunny's injured arm. In a blink, the stranger's face was curled up in pain as his hand was now grasped in the injured man's other hand and his wrist was bent backwards at an awkward angle. "Hey … what the … get your nasty hands off me!"

Gunny's response was to apply a bit more pressure to the back of the man's hand with his thumb, sending the man to his knees. "Sir, the best thing you can do, is get back in your vehicle and leave before this gets serious … and _painful_." His tone, demeanor, and everything about him exuded calm and control as he applied steady pressure to the angry man's median nerve.

The man on his knees reached around and attempted to tug his cell phone from the pocket of his jacket. "I … I'll … I'll call the cops."

In order to prevent Gunny from actually doing something that might actually require the cops … or an ambulance, Deeks cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Go ahead, see how that works out for you." When the stranger glanced up with both hatred and confusion in his eyes, the detective explained. "You failed to yield the right-of-way to two pedestrians in a marked crosswalk who had the signal after you didn't come to a complete stop on a red light."

The man's lips curled up into a smirk that came across as more of a snarl. "I doubt the cops are going to take the word of a couple of homeless bums over the owner of an Escalade."

Deeks gave him a simple shrug of his shoulders. "You might be right … but I am sure that the traffic camera right over there … " He pointed toward the cross beam the held up the traffic signals, and winked at the small camera perched at the right angle to catch everything that had happened on the street. " … could be used to clear up the entire mess. Don't you think?" When he looked back at the man on his knees, the scruffy blonde was the one wearing the smirk.

As the man's brain finally caught up with the facts of the situation, his shoulders slumped and he stopped trying to wrestle his hand away of the man standing over him. Gunny relaxed his grip, but both he and Short Round maintained a careful watch as the businessman pulled himself up from the ground and dusted off the knees of his dress pants. He turned quickly and stomped over to the Escalade, uttering a curse as he kicked the broken mirror against the curb before climbing into his vehicle and peeling away with the screech of tires.

As the dust settled and they were able to finally finish crossing the street, they paused for a moment to catch their breaths. "Whew … that was close." Deeks leaned over to pet Monty who still seemed a bit confused as the what the entire hullabaloo was all about. "How's the arm?"

"Just a little bruised … nothing major." If he was in any pain, he managed to hide it well. "I'm just glad I didn't have to actually kick that guy's ass."

"You could have just ordered Short Round to bite his nuts off."

Deeks' comment made both of the men chuckle at the mental image that popped into their minds.

"Been a while since he's dined on that particular body part." Gunny tapped his thigh and the dog side-stepped to lean against his friend. "That was quick thinking back there with the traffic cam … he was a pretty big guy and I would have hated to ruin that very expensive suit he was wearing. You a lawyer in a past life?"

Time for the cover story that brought Stretch to the streets. "You know, actually … I was."

That brought the other man to a quick stop. "Really?"

"Passed the California Bar exam on my first try."

The other man let out a long whistle before commenting. "Well, slather me in butter and call me a biscuit."

Deeks dropped his head, maintaining the ruse as he stiffled a laugh. "Yeah … hard to believe, huh?"

Gunny shook his head. "No, not at all." When his blonde companion glanced over at him with a strange expression on his face, he let out a soft sigh. "I've been out here for a while … met all kinds of people from every walk of life … every status … every position. Sometimes the fall into this, isn't as far as most folks imagine."

There wasn't much more to say about that, so they continued to walk to wherever Gunny was leading them. For a few moments, the only sounds came from the city life around them but then the next question came from the old warhorse. "So, what happened?"

Deeks sighed heavily, then gave the answer to his troubled past. "Got prospected by one of the large firms in the city and things couldn't have been better … started living the life, you know? Cars, parties, women … some drugs on the side." He caught the hardening of the Marine's eyes and waved off the accusing look. "Just the light stuff, nothing serious … but it got ahead of me and I … I just … I lost my perspective … and felt like I was drowning … I lost everything."

Something brushed against his leg. Hard. "Everything but good ole Monty here." He petted his faithful friend between his ears, exactly where the animal wanted it.

Gunny, ever looking to lift others up, gave a simple word of encouragement. "But you've stayed clean, right?"

"Twenty-six months and counting."

The smile that curled itself across the older man's aged face was breathtaking. "That's my boy."

Deeks spirit smiled within itself, happy to have met a tender yet strong soul out on the rough streets of Los Angeles. He considered it for a moment, but decided that it wouldn't hurt to know the same thing about the veteran walking beside him. "So, what's your story Gunny? How'd you end up out here?"

For two men to share so much so quickly was unheard of, but the bond that was being forged between them had started off well and it should only continue to grow in strength. When Deeks looked over and caught the blank slate that Gunny's face had become, he began to wonder if that bond hadn't shattered into a million, irreparable pieces. "Hey Gunny … sorry … I didn't mean to …"

A strong hand came up to stop the detective's rambling apology, but Gunny still didn't make eye contact. "No kid … it's okay."

While their pace had slowed, the two men and their animals continued to amble along the broken concrete of the sidewalk. After a few blocks, Deeks wondered if the conversation was over, but then Gunny started talking, but he didn't begin by talking about himself.

"My son, Wyatt, joined the Marines right out of high school, just like his old man. Graduated from boot-camp at the top of his class … aced AIT (Advanced Infantry Training) … became an outstanding Devil Dog …" The man paused, seemingly to collect his thoughts … or emotions … before he went on. "He was stationed at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan, working as a combat tracker helping the EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) units hunt down the bastards planting IED (Improvised Explosive Device) along the roads and blowing up our guys and gals."

It was like Deeks could see the shoe about to drop, and he was powerless to stop it from happening.

"Wyatt and his team got attached to a Marine Recon unit sent out to hunt down the Ace of Hearts … the man responsible for over one hundred and fifty civilian and thirty-two military personnel deaths in IED detonations." The man's shoulders squared and his chin remained parallel to the ground. "They found the right house but it was the wrong night and no one was home … but the place was wired."

 _Ahh … shit._ Deeks let his head fall, whatever Gunny was going to say was superfluous at this point, but Gunny kept talking, making it just all the more worse.

"Wyatt was helping clear the last rooms on the second floor when his dog signaled that something wasn't right. He managed to get the entire squad out of the building before it remote detonated." A lone tear slipped from the older man's eye and left a wet trail as it slipped down his cheek. "His partner … his 'Short Round' … survived the blast …" He patted the dog along his ribs, ruffling the fur at the last moment and Deeks finally saw a set of nasty scars in front of the animal's rear leg.

" … but my son did not."

...


	4. Chapter 4

SHORT ROUND

Chapter 4

…

The last words spoken by Gunny hung in the air; held aloft by the pain that they reflected. Deeks let his head drop, partly in shame for having brought up such a tragic and painful memory, but also for the loss that he knew that the man would experience for the rest of his life. It was the worst tragedy that could befall a human being; where a parent had to bury their own child. The amount of pain inflicted by that level of loss was beyond the detective's ability to comprehend, nor could he fathom the overwhelming sense of longing for a future that was stolen and the memories of the past that were all that was left to hold onto.

"God, Gunny … I'm sorry, I didn't mean … "

The Marine stopped, his hand coming up to gently stop the shaggy blonde's apology. "Not your fault son … but it isn't something that I readily talk about. I'm kind of shocked that I told you that … we barely know each other."

Deeks nodded. "Sometimes it's easier to share personal things with people we don't know. There's no connection to mess up or a relationship to damage."

The other man quirked his lips and nodded, but he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and Deeks felt compelled to try and help him through them. "So, Short Round was your son's dog?"

For a moment, Gunny continued to look off into the distance, but he shook his head from whatever memories were haunting him and returned to the present. "Yes … he was. He was too badly injured to return to active duty and Wyatt's old unit moved heaven and earth to get him home to us … so we could have just another piece of my son to hold onto."

The dog at their feet seemed to know that he was the subject of the conversation and turned to nuzzle into Gunny's leg. "When we finally got him home, he wouldn't leave Wyatt's old room for anything. I had to clean up quite a few messes before he finally allowed us to take him outside to do his business."

Something that the man said prompted another question. "You said, 'we' and 'us'?"

Another sad look crossed over the older man's face and Deeks literally wanted to kick himself for digging too deep, too fast. But before he could think of a way to backtrack, Gunny was speaking in a low voice.

"Yeah … 'us' … my wife, Wyatt's mother, Robin." There was a twinge of both love and regret in the way he said her name.

Since he'd already caused the man to dredge up the memory of his lost son, Deeks simply allowed the next question to come of its own volition. "What happened?"

They walked on a little further and were pleased when the park finally opened up in front of them. With a simple nod to the animal, Gunny sent Short Round scampering off across the green grass, Monty tight on his heels as the two dogs began a very confusing game of 'Tag' that didn't appear to have any rules whatsoever. As the dogs danced around in front of them, the two men settled on one of the benches that dotted the perimeter of the park.

Without preamble, Gunny addressed the question that Deeks had thought the man had forgotten or simply refused to answer. "We … ah … we divorced a year or so after we buried Wyatt." It seemed that the man's suffering knew no end; having no one to help shoulder the pain of their loss would have been devastating. Seeing a frown form on the younger man's face, he went on to explain. "It wasn't her fault. If anyone's to blame it should be me. I … I just … I just couldn't see past my own pain and anger to be able to help her deal with her own grief. Eventually, we drifted apart ... turned into strangers in our own home … and in the end, it was the only thing that either of us could see to do to make some of the pain go away."

"Again, Gunny … I'm sorry."

This time the man just nodded, letting his chin fall to his chest. "I loved her … in a way, I guess I still do. It was just too hard … every time I looked at her or heard her voice … all I could see was the son that I'd lost … and it was just too much." He paused to catch his breath and regain his composure. "We parted as friends, at least; no ugly divorce fights or vindictiveness … just two people who were better apart than they were together. Didn't really work out that good for me though. After she moved out of town, I started drinking … _heavily_ … couldn't hold down my job, lost my house along with everything else, and ended up out here. When I realized that I had nothing to go back to … I guess I decided that it was just easier to stay out on the streets and just live day to day."

Deeks could hear the faint echoes of loss and sorrow in the man's words. "Have you ever thought of contacting her? Maybe try to patch things up?"

The dry chuckle that escaped the other man's mouth was not what the detective was expecting. "Would you be surprised if I told you that not too long ago, I tried that very thing?" Gunny glanced over and caught the surprised expression on Deeks' face. "I still had some of my things, including the phone number to her lawyer. She was gracious enough to give me my ex-wife's new number. It took me weeks to build up the nerve to actually dial the number and even longer than that to stay on the line when someone answered on the other end."

When that seemed all that he was going to say, Deeks simply raised his eyebrows, inclining his head to indicate that a little more information was needed.

Gunny's lips curled up into a soft grin, but there was still some pain in his brown eyes. "When the two of us finally had a conversation, I could have sworn that the past years had been all one big horrible nightmare. Then she talked about how she was getting remarried and how happy she was with her new family. She sounded like the girl I'd fallen in love with all those long years ago … and that was all I could have ever asked … for her to find peace and happiness again. It just sucked that it wasn't with me."

As the two men sat side by side watching their dogs play in the warm grass, they remained silent, lost in their own thoughts and emotions. As the clouds passed by overhead, the world was still and simply as it should be.

…

Carmen Styles' legs were tired by the time she reached her office on the second floor of the Veteran's Hospital where she served as one of the counselors on staff to aid the many patients that found themselves in need. She wasn't a doctor of any sort, just a licensed therapist who had a pension for quickly getting inside her patient's heads and getting them to open up so they could find the root cause of their issues. While the position didn't pay all that much, she was dedicated to her profession and since it was just her and two troublesome cats who occupied her apartment, the lack of a huge paycheck didn't bother her all that much. Her sense of worth came not from the numbers in her bank account, but from the bruised and battered souls that would come to her, asking for some way out of the darkness that sometimes threatened to overwhelm them.

While she tread her way toward her office, one 'battered soul' in particular remained at the forefront of her thoughts; the former Marine Gunnery Sergeant who's warm and gentle smile belayed the torment that she could see hidden behind his chocolate colored eyes. Ever since their first meeting at one of the Saturday morning tables, she had felt that whatever was haunting the man wasn't something that he knew how to deal with … and it was driving her bat crap crazy trying to figure out what it could be. He'd seen combat, she had seen enough battle tested men and women in her therapy sessions to know that in an instant. But the trauma that shadowed his soul didn't seem to be related to what he had experienced on the battlefield … it was almost like he was running from something that would always be a part of him. She was desperate to help him understand that you can't escape that type of pain; you have to face it head on and learn how to make peace with it. Vets who had seen too many of their friends die right in front of them or had seen too many dead civilians had come to her for help. Carmen was humbled knowing that through hard work and, yes, lots of tears … those people had learned to become friends with the faces that lingered in their dreams.

Carmen dropped her eyes to the floor, slightly embarrassed by the way her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she let the image of the man she knew only as 'Gunny' dance around in her mind. She was so preoccupied with her ruminations, that she didn't realize she was about to collide with another person until they were right on top of her.

"Geez! I'm so sorry!" The younger man's warning pulled her focus back to the present just in time to prevent her from walking right into him.

"Oh, Angel! Sorry, I wasn't really watching where I was going." Carmen reached out to brace herself against his shoulder, spinning them both in place. When she had her feet under her once more, she gave the male nurse an accessing look. "Ummmm … didn't know you would be in on a Saturday. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah … " His face still had the shock of running into someone on that floor on a Saturday, but it quickly changed into a more relaxed and friendly expression. " … we've got an external audit next week and we're behind on some paper work down in the pharmacy." That's when she noticed the stack of papers, file folders, and small boxes that were balanced precariously in his arms. "The department head has us running back through the tracking sheets, sign out logs, and every other piece of paper work that they could conceivably want to see when they get here."

"Looks like you've got plenty to do." She patted him gently on the arm, sidestepping around him to continue toward her office. "Hope you're still going to have a weekend left when you're finished."

"I hope so too." He gave her a soft shrug, nodding toward the elevators at the other end of the hallway. "So, I'd better get to it, all this stuff won't sort itself." Angel stepped away quickly and that struck her as rather odd; he'd usually spend a bit more time making small talk or regaling her with some story about his most recent exploits with the ladies. Maybe it had to do with the upcoming inspection and his mind was just too occupied to waste any precious time.

Carmen heard the elevator chime when the doors shut just as she reached her office, quickly slipping inside. She hadn't planned on coming by today, but since she'd been in the neighborhood to drop by the charity group that morning, she decided to come in a check her emails before making the trek home. She was just entering her password when there was a soft knock on her door and when she looked up, she recognized the man in the familiar hospital security uniform.

"Thomas?"

The man leaned part of his large frame through the opening, his smile warm and calming. "Sorry to bother you, Ms. Snyder ..."

"How many times to I have to tell you to call me _Carmen_?" She was rising from her chair, giving him a firm look from under her curled eye lashes.

His answer made her chuckle. "At least once more, Ms. Snyder."

When his smile wavered, she realized that this wasn't just a friendly visit. "So, is there something I can help you with?" The way his face fell caused a shiver of apprehension to trickle down her spine. "Thomas?"

He seemed to catch himself, reigning in his behavior. "I'm sorry, Ms. Snyder … but there are two NCIS agents here and they've asked to speak to someone about patient treatment. Do you have time to talk to them?"

Carmen stopped beside her desk, noticing the two shadows standing just outside in the hallway behind Thomas; one fairly large and the other had more of a medium build. She'd dealt with federal agents before and a visit from the Naval Criminal Investigation Service was nothing truly surprising but she did wonder about why they were here and who they were investigating. "Uh … yeah, sure … send them in."

"Right this way, gentlemen." Thomas pushed the door open with one arm while gesturing for his companions to enter the office. The two agents stepped in, the smaller man coming right up, offering his right hand out to her, the other holding up his badge for her to inspect.

"Special Agents Callen and Hanna, ma'am … NCIS."

Carmen exchanged a quick handshake with him and his partner before gesturing toward the two chairs in front of her desk. "Please, call me Carmen. Have a seat." As the two men took a chair, she noticed that Thomas hovered by the still open door for a moment before easing into the hall where she knew he would only go far enough away from the door to give them some privacy.

"I just popped in for a moment, so there's no coffee but I have some bottled water in the mini-fridge if you gentlemen are thirsty."

Agent Hanna gave her a warm and disarming smile. "Thank you, ma'am … I mean, _Carmen_ … we're good."

She gave him a gentle nod of her head in return. "So, what can I do for NCIS?"

Agent Callen leaned forward in his seat, apparently the lead agent for the moment. "We understand that you counsel patients here at the VA and we were wondering if you could answer a few questions for us?"

"I'm not sure what information I'll be able to provide. I'm sure you understand that patient confidentiality is paramount within these walls." Carmen had squared her shoulders, preparing to go to the mat to defend her patient's rights to their privacy.

Callen's blue eyes sparkled. "We understand that and our questions aren't about the patients …" He glanced over his shoulder toward the open door and lowered his voice. "… actually, we're more curious about the staff."

"The staff?" His response had surprised her but she had the mental awareness to keep her voice soft as well.

"Yes. You may be aware that there has been a spike in homeless deaths in this area." Agent Hanna's tone was firm and professional, but there was sadness behind his eyes. Carmen guessed that he was former military, Special Forces from the look of him. When she nodded in response, he continued. "The forensics on the cases indicate that the victims had several medications in their systems."

Carmen had enough experience dealing with the people who lived on the streets to know where this was going. "Most of the men and women out there are good people … but sometimes they get their hands on something to help them get by …"

Agent Callen held up his hand to cut her off. "True, but some of the drugs involved are specific to the treatment of depression and PTSD … Serotonin inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and certain alpha blockers. Are you familiar with those?"

"Why yes, several of the patients I help treat are on those … but they are _prescribed_ medications, not hard street drugs." Carmen was growing confused as well as concerned.

"Yes, we understand that, but what if someone was providing these outside of a doctor's care and oversight?" Agent Callen's expression had turned dark.

"Are you accusing _me_ of this?!" Carmen's faced blanched and her lungs constricted inside her chest. From the quick look that the two agents exchanged, that was exactly the reaction they were looking for.

"No Carmen, we know that you are only a counselor and you do not have any type of access to the drugs that the hospital provides." Callen seemed apologetic in the avenue of questioning, but his eyes retained their calculating intensity. "But we have reason to believe that someone on the staff may be providing these drugs on the side … selling them maybe, but we aren't sure. Either way, it may be contributing to the deaths and we need to find the source and make it stop."

It took a moment, but Carmen could see that the two men were indeed out to protect those who could not protect themselves. She let out a soft sigh, deciding to ask a question or two, herself. "The drugs you've mentioned don't kill … so what else is involved?"

The agents had a brief and impressive silent conversation with just their eyes before Agent Hanna turned back to her. "There's some highly potent cocaine out on the street and, combined with the victim's poor diet and nutrition …"

Carmen's mind caught up and she finished for him. " … along with the antidepressants, it's causing some type of respiratory compromise." The two men gave her an affirmative nod, impressed by her sharp mind, but they caught the sad expression that clouded her eyes. "It's sad that even when people have nothing, they can still find a way to get ahold of the stuff that eventually destroys them."

Callen kept his voice calm and reassuring. "Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated."

Carmen snapped out of the dark mood that was threatening to overtake her, focusing instead on the issue at hand and how she could, hopefully, do something to help stop it. When she looked back up at the two men, she couldn't help but think about her earlier conversation with Gunny and the tormented expression that haunted his eyes when he spoke of the dead. With a final thought of his deep brown eyes and gentle smile, she sat up a little straighter in her chair.

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

…


	5. Chapter 5

SHORT ROUND

Chapter 5

…

When the dogs had grown bored with chasing each other and after a short nap under a shade tree, Deeks and Gunny led them out of the park, heading back toward the recycling center to grab a few sheets of cardboard to build a shelter they would need later that night. They had spent a good portion of their time on the park bench talking about simpler times and the lives they left behind. When Deeks made any type of suggestion about the future or how Gunny could change the path he was on, the older man quickly changed the subject, keeping the topic light and as generic as possible.

They were only a few blocks from the park, cutting through a side street that would shorten their time out on the hot concrete when something out of the ordinary caught their gaze. When both of the dogs snapped to a halt at their feet, they began to pay closer attention to the disheveled man who was ambling toward them. After a moment or two, Gunny let out a sigh and called out to the man in question.

"Tiny?" The dark-skinned man was far from being truly _tiny_ , standing at well over six feet and as thick as an oak tree.

The muscled man staggered against the department store wall, his large frame drooping closer and closer to the ground. When he looked up at the man's voice, his face was flushed and a splotchy red color. "Gunny? That you?"

The closer Gunny and Deeks came, the more they could discern of the man's current state. He appeared to be unsteady on his feet and his hands were trembling to the point of looking painful. Gunny was reaching up to help steady the big man when he lost his fight with gravity and plummeted into the Marine. Deeks reached out to help ease them both to the ground; Gunny managing to slip from underneath to keep himself from getting pinned under the bulkier man's frame.

When they rolled him over, his face had taken on a more dazed expression, his eyes swimming around in their sockets and his lips curling up in a lopsided grin. Gunny knelt beside Tiny's head, tapping his cheeks lightly with his hand.

"Tiny? Come on, snap out of it." When the man on the ground looked up at him with glassy eyes, Gunny knew that it was far more than simple alcohol floating through the man's system. "Crap man … come on Tiny … what'd you take?"

His response was slow and slurred. "The … good … stuff."

Deeks looked over and exchanged a concerned look with his friend as the man on the ground started to close his eyes. "Just … really … good … stuff."

"Don't let him pass out … if he goes under, he might not wake up." The signs that the man was on the verge of drug overdose wasn't lost on Deeks, his years of undercover work on the streets teaching him far more than he ever wanted to know.

Gunny pulled on Tiny's shoulder, rolling him onto his left side. "Keep him on his side … he'll choke if he vomits." It was basic first aid resuscitation, but the prospect of the man emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground and, even possibly, on _them_ , suddenly made Deeks wish he was someplace else; preferably with a striking brunette with mismatched eyes.

"We need some help." Deeks was tempted to run off and send out a message to OPS so Eric could call an ambulance, but before he could make a move, Gunny was heaving the big man up into a fireman's carry, grunting with the effort it took to get him off the ground. "Come on … the VA is three blocks away."

Deeks helped him get Tiny up all the way onto his shoulder, impressed with the old war horse's strength. "You're going to _carry_ him?"

"We don't have time to hunt down a phone and wait on an ambulance." Gunny started to carry his burden toward the end of the street, Short Round leading Monty to the sidewalk as if he knew where they were going. "And I'm not leaving a man to die on the street … no way, no how."

When they emerged from the alley, several pedestrians gave them a wide berth, barely acknowledging their presence nor offering any form of help to the ghastly trio and their dogs. They made it to the intersection and when Deeks looked up, he could see the large sign for the hospital down the street and he wondered if even Gunny would have the stamina to carry his load that far. Before he could think of an alternative, the Marine was charging across the street against the signal, carefully weaving between still moving vehicles and the sounds of screeching tires and honking horns. Several crass comments were thrown their way, none too polite or kind, but his eyes were fixed on some point in the direction of their goal.

Deeks walked close beside them, hoping to be there in case Gunny's legs gave out and he needed some help. As they hustled along, Tiny began to moan from his position across Gunny's back.

"I … don't … feel … so … good."

The older man let out a dry chuckle. "Well, if you're going to puke … do it now."

As they made it closer to the hospital, Deeks leaned over and spoke softly into Tiny's ear, hopeful that maybe he could glean something before the man passed out. "Where'd you get the stuff Tiny? Who gave it to you?"

"Good … stuff … " Tiny was barely conscious.

"Yeah … yeah, I got that part, but who did you get the _good stuff_ from."

Tiny grunted as he bounced on Gunny's shoulder, his eyes drifting closed as his face went slack. Deeks thought he was out but he began to mumble under his breath and the detective had to lean in closer than he wanted to hear what he was saying.

"An angel gave it to me … my angel."

Deeks thought he must have heard him wrong or the drugs were really doing a number on the man. "What?"

Tiny let out a frustrated huff of air. "Man, I told you … the angel gave them to me … he always does … takes good care of me … makes the nightmares go away."

Gunny's legs were burning and he was getting winded, but he had no plans to stop, not when they were so close. They had one more street to cross and the traffic was heavy enough to make him pause on the sidewalk to wait for a gap that he could shoot out into. Just as he was counting the seconds between a white moving van and a small hybrid car, someone moved past him and into the street. When he looked up, Deeks was standing in the middle of the lane, his hands up in the air. There was the sound of rubber on asphalt as a dark Mercedes skidded to a stop, mere feet from slamming into his friend's legs. The Marine looked up when he heard two car doors opening, preparing for whatever confrontation was about to occur between the car's occupants and the three homeless men. Before he could think of a way to make a quick exit, Deeks was approaching the men; one tall, muscular black man and a shorter Caucasian with short cut hair, who had exited the car stopped in the middle of the street.

"Guys … please … our friend needs help … we just need to get him to the hospital up the street." Deeks let his concern edge into his words, hoping that the men would understand and act accordingly.

To Gunny's surprise, the big man hurried over and tugged Tiny off of his tired back. "Here, let me take him … you look worn out."

Gunny hated to admit it, but even though he would always be a Marine, he wasn't as lean or fit as he used to me. "Thanks … he's ODing on something … need to get him some help."

When he looked over, Deeks and the car's driver were hurrying over to lend a hand. They each grabbed Tiny under his arms and helped the black man carry him over to the waiting Beamer. There were several irate drivers giving them all the one fingered salute, but the good Samaritans paid them no heed as they opened up the back seat and tugged Tiny's large frame into the back seat.

The smaller man was already jumping behind the steering wheel, directing Deeks into the seat beside him. Gunny backed away toward the sidewalk where the dogs were patiently waiting. "I'll get the animals and be right behind you." He watched the car ease back into traffic, cutting across to the median and making a very illegal 'U' turn to cut across the oncoming traffic. The winded man thought to himself that whoever was driving must have taken a Defensive Driving Course somewhere in his past. He headed toward the crosswalk and pressed the crosswalk button, Short Round and Monty waiting along with him.

When they rounded the corner at the end of the street, Callen turned to Deeks in the passenger seat. "I'm not going to tell Kensi how I almost ran you over when you jumped off the sidewalk in front of my car."

Deeks gave the senior agent a crooked grin. "Please don't … I'm usually in enough trouble with her as it is; I don't need to add anymore to the list of offenses."

Sam piped up from the back seat. "Speaking of offenses … I hope this guy's smell washes out."

Tiny let out a soft groan from where the big agent had him propped up against the door. "Angel … angel … makes all the bad thoughts go away … "

Callen accelerated to pass a slow moving pick-up truck, his eyes searching for the entrance to the hospital that he and his partner had just left a few minutes earlier. "What's he mumbling about back there?"

"Something about an 'angel'." Sam held the big man steady, keeping him from face planting against the back of Deeks' seat.

When Callen looked over with a confused expression on his face, Deeks explained. "Says that's who gave him the drugs … his _angel_."

At the mention of that word, Callen's eyes cut up to the rear view mirror and his gaze locked with those of his partner. Deeks caught the silent conversation occurring between them and his mind caught on that something had just been discovered. "Does that mean anything?"

Callen glanced at the detective. "We just interviewed some of the staff at the hospital. One of the duty nurses got real anxious when we started poking around the pharmacy's drug sign out logs."

Deeks turned his head to where Sam was looking back at him. "Yeah, he tried to play it cool, but by the end, poor kid got so nervous, looked like he was about to wet himself."

The detective shot a confused look over to his team leader. "And how does that connect to where Tiny got his drugs?"

Callen's focus was now on driving up to the hospital's main doors. "That was the kid's name … _Angel_."

…

Gunny walked as fast as he could down the sidewalk, the two dogs close behind him as they made their way toward the hospital. The man's mind was a fury of thoughts, worrying about Tiny and his condition but also a little shocked at the two strangers who had seemed eager to come to their aid. Most people wouldn't have even stopped, but these two men had gone out of their way to lend aid to three homeless bums. It was little instances like those that helped to restore the jaded Marine's faith in mankind.

He was lost in his thoughts when he approached an alleyway that ran up beside the building next to the hospital. As he stepped across the curb, Short Round let out a sharp bark and then suddenly there was a large black Escalade careening across the highway and onto the small street right in front of Gunny. He was just able to take a step back when the passenger side doors opened and two rough and angry men stepped out and circled on him quickly.

The Marine did not hesitate and punched the closest one in his left eye socket but when he turned to face the other one, something solid struck him across the side of his head, sending a shower of lightening through his skull. Over the thrum of his own heart beat in his ears, he heard someone calling out in an oddly familiar voice that he couldn't place. "Quick! Quick! Get him in the back!"

There was movement as someone grabbed his left arm and jerked him sideways, then there was a growl and a man's scream. "Arggghhh … dammit!"

Short Round had his jaws wrapped around the lower calf of the big man with the club in his hands, the fur along the dog's back tensed up and his ears were pulled back along his head. Monty was beside his canine companion, tugging on the man's other leg and they almost succeeding in pulling him to the ground. The man's leg came up and down, catching the scruffy mutt on his left shoulder and sending him spinning out of the way. Before the dog could reenter the fight, the club came down across Short Round's back causing the animal to release his grip in the man's leg just long enough for him to scamper into the passenger seat and start to close the door. Through the gap, Gunny quickly shouted out a quick command in German to the lunging animal.

"Folgen sie!"

The struggling men either didn't hear him as they were too busy wrestling with the ornery Marine or trying to escape his dog, because they seemed to pay his shout no attention as the door finally slammed shut. If they had known what that command meant and what it could mean for them, they might have made a change in their plans.

"That dog almost tore my leg off!" The passenger complained to the driver who was busy backing out into traffic.

"Shut it! We got what we came for. Now, quit your whining and help Tony tie up our guest of honor."

Moving between the seats, the bitten man managed to squeeze his large frame into the back seat where Gunny was struggling to clear the cobwebs from his head long enough to put up some more resistance. He was elbowing Tony in the face when a fist the size of Texas slammed into his already dizzy head, making bright lights appear at the edge of his vision. Temporarily stunned, he could only put up a token struggle as the men managed to slip a pair of zip tie cuffs around his wrists, cinching them up and immobilizing his arms. He kicked out with his right foot, catching the closest man in his leg, right where Short Round had sunk his teeth into the flesh. The wounded man let out a hiss of pain before back handing Gunny across his face, stunning him even more.

When his vision started to clear, he found that both his wrists and ankles were bound and he was pinned between the two behemoths that were holding him firmly against the back of the seat. He felt a trickle of blood moving down his forehead and watched as a red drop fell to land on his jacket. Turning to look at the back of the driver's head, he started calculating his chances of getting out of this alive and wasn't happy with the answer.

They traveled several blocks until they entered one of the dilapidated warehouse districts, not too far from where he had started his day and he wondered which one of his friends was going to find his beaten and very dead body. He took a few deep breaths, deciding that if this was, in fact, going to be _the end_ , he was going to go down fighting and hopefully give his captors a few good scars to remind them of what happened on this day. Who they were or what this was all about never entered his mind, his only thoughts were on how to meet his end with dignity and bravery.

Even though he wasn't thinking about why this was happening, when the vehicle finally stopped moving and the driver turned to face him, he got his answer.

"Hey, remember me, tough guy?"

It took a moment, but then through the haze of his blurred vision, the man's features finally cleared. "You're the guy driving the Escalade that almost ran us over."

"Yeah, Asswipe." The punch came out of nowhere, catching Gunny in his solar plexus and driving the air right out of his lungs. "Not only did you break my mirror on my brand new ride … but you and your friend managed to distract me long enough for some stupid traffic cam to take my picture." There was another punch just as his breath was returning. "And in my business, old man … I don't need that kind of attention."

"So, grabbing a homeless bum off the street in broad daylight isn't going to get you any more attention?" Gunny knew it wasn't smart, but the longer he could drag this out, the better chance that he could find a way to turn the tables on these clowns. Even though they weren't that bright, they were dangerous; and maybe, just maybe … someone saw something and the cops were on their way. "You guys are about as smart as a screen door on a submarine."

Either he didn't get the joke or he thought it wasn't all that funny, cause the next thing the driver did was drive his fist right back into Gunny's stomach, causing him to cough and wheeze through gritted teeth.

"You think you're funny, old man?"

Gunny's quick response would have made Deeks proud. "I got your old man right here." He tried to gesture toward his crotch, but his arms were held tight. The next blow indicated that he'd managed to convey the meaning clear enough. As his insides burned from the repeated blows, an old complaint by his ex-wife flittered through his addled brain. On more than one occasion, she'd complained that he never knew to quit when he was ahead. A smile crossed his face when he admitted to himself that she might have actually been onto something with that observation.

Tony jerked his head toward the man in the front seat. "I think he's laughing at you, boss."

"Let him laugh. This idiot might have just screwed up my entire coke operation in this area and it took me weeks to get it off the ground and rolling." The man in the sharp suit pulled a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses down over his eyes, a nasty smirk growing across his lips. "I'm going to cut him into itty bitty pieces, and then I'll take him back and feed him to his own dog."

With a sneer that sent a shiver down Tony's back, the boss fixed his eyes on the battered man in the back seat.

"We'll see who's laughing then."

…


	6. Chapter 6

SHORT ROUND

Chapter 6

…

Although the Veteran's Administration hospital was not set up to deal with the 'off the street' emergency that Tiny's case presented, one flash of Callen's badge and a curt statement about the big man being a material witness in a federal investigation, the staff jumped in quickly to render the needed treatment. It wasn't as serious as they had feared, and the doctor assured them that they would take good care of the patient until he was fit to be released on his own recognizance. Once that was settled, they left the ward to search for the Marine who should have been there by then.

"Something's wrong guys … he should have been here a long time ago." Deeks hustled down the hallway, Sam and Callen hot on his heels.

Sam called out gently from behind. "Maybe they wouldn't let him in ... nothing personal, but you guys look a little rough."

Deeks found no offense in his comrade's assessment of their appearance but he also knew Gunny wasn't one to let anything or anyone stand in his way. "It wouldn't have mattered; if he'd wanted in, he'd be in here to check on his friend."

Callen caught him just as they reached the front doors. "Point taken, but let's not run off half-cocked, okay?" He was glad when he saw the man's demeanor relax slightly, his quick pace slowing so his look was not so panicked. "He's probably outside trying to get Monty to stop chasing his own tail."

The light-hearted comment succeeded in breaking some of the tension, causing the detective to let out slight chuckle. "You're probably right, but if he's not right outside, can you give me a ride?"

"Sure thing … " Callen wasn't finished with the good-natured teasing. " … but you'll have to ride in the back. Sam was right, that jacket should be condemned."

"You guys are just jealous … you two couldn't pull this look off even on your best … " Deeks' retort was cut off as a familiar auburn-haired female rounded the corner and stopped suddenly when she saw him.

"Hey … uhhh … _Stretch_ , right?" The counselor's eyes brightened at seeing the man she'd met earlier that morning.

Deeks hoped that she hadn't heard any of his previous conversation, and the friendly expression on her face gave him hope that his cover was still intact. "Yes, nice to see you again Carmen." He was again struck by her friendly manner as her hand came up to shake his.

Carmen's smile faltered when she saw the two familiar NCIS agents following so close behind the kind blonde and her eyes cut between them, assessing what it could mean. "I hope everything's okay … " Then the thought of what their presence on the treatment floor and the absence of the former Marine could mean. " … wait, where's Gunny? Is he okay? Did something happen?"

As her hand came up to wrap around Deeks' forearm, there was a hint of fear and apprehension in the woman's voice that went far beyond simple concern. She was scared.

Deeks dropped his hand to cover hers. "It's not Gunny. We were coming back from the park and bumped into Tiny. He was in a poor state, so we were bringing him here when these guys stopped and gave us a ride."

After nodding in gratitude to Callen and Sam, Carmen's eyes continued to scan the area for the man who just wouldn't get out of her head. "Well then, where is he?"

Callen stepped up to help alleviate her concerns and to help Deeks maintain his cover. "There wasn't enough room in the car for all of them, _Stretch_ rode in with us while Gunny stayed behind with their dogs."

Each of them watched as the tension in woman's body relaxed at the news, her eyes revealing a lot more than what she had intended for them to see. "Well … okay … that's good then." As she regained control of her emotions, Carmen appeared more like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar than the professional counselor that she was.

Sam, who had seen the sudden shift in her emotional state, moved to her side. "We were just heading to check on them, would you like to join us?"

"No … no, I'm sure he's fine … I mean, I know he's fine … " Carmen's mouth seemed to be about three steps ahead of her brain. " … wait, that's not what … I don't know if he's fine or anything … I … geez … "

Deeks was about to choke on the laughter that was trying to bubble out of him at her frustration, but he just gave her an understanding smile. "Come on, it was only a few blocks … we'll be there in no time."

"You sure you guys don't mind?" Carmen felt her apprehension escaping.

"Absolutely not." Callen walked through the automatic doors, silently beckoning them to follow. When there was no Gunny or dogs waiting outside and no one at the security desk had seen them, the quartet made their way down to the parking lot where Callen's black BMW sat slightly askew at the curb. Sam opened the passenger side door for Carmen, and when she was settled, he shot Deeks a quizzical look over the car's roof. For his part, Deeks shrugged his shoulders before climbing in behind the team leader.

When they pulled out into traffic, Callen caught the concerned expression on the woman's face and wondered at the implications that such a response could mean. Whatever the connection between the man and woman, it was a strong one if her reaction was any indication. Although it wasn't far to where they met Deeks and Gunny, it did take a few minutes to make the short trip and for some reason, the conversation remained light. It was they all knew something wasn't exactly right but were too afraid to say anything that might raise the level of tension.

Just when he was about to force himself to relax, something caught Callen's attention at the entrance to an alley way only a block or two from the hospital. His head was snapping back for a second look when Deeks called out from the back seat.

"That's Monty!" He canted his body toward the widow so fast, his head nearly bumped the glass.

Callen cut the well hard to the left, counter-steering as he hit the brakes, sending the car skidding across three lanes of traffic. There were horns and yells but the four people in the BMW were focused on the scruffy mutt sitting patiently on the sidewalk. As soon as Callen brought the vehicle close, Deeks and Sam both piled out of the backseat and clamored over to the animal.

Deeks was on his knee in an instant, furious that Gunny would leave his dog but then he saw the splatter of blood on the ground. His anger turned into abject concern as he noticed the anxious expression in the animal's eyes. "Hey boy … what happened?"

The dog responded with a sharp bark, his eyes cutting up the street then back to his friend.

As the others gathered around him, Deeks rose to his feet and nodded toward the blood. "Something's wrong. Monty's on edge and that's fresh blood."

Carmen's face paled, her hand coming up to cover the gasp that threatened to escape her lips. Callen and Sam exchanged a quick look before glancing to Deeks, asking for him to make the call. "Please, I need your help guys."

Sam was already tapping a speed dial number on his phone and he spoke as soon as the line connected. "Eric, we need the feed from the traffic cameras between Ponce De Leon and Monticello … look for anything suspicious in the past thirty minutes at the alley with the green dumpsters."

As they waited, Deeks patted Monty on his back, trying to alleviate some of the animal's tension, while Carmen simply circled them as Callen took a few pictures of the blood droplets. "It's still wet … means it hasn't been too long since whatever happened, happened." He chose his words carefully, trying to maintain Deeks' cover and reassure Carmen at the same time. "It isn't much, probably a small wound … nothing major."

Carmen was growing more concerned the longer they stood there. She was not even sure if this had anything to do with Gunny's whereabouts but until she knew he was safe, she knew she would not be able to relax.

Sam's face twisted as Eric relayed the information that the camera's video had captured. "Thanks Eric … see if you can pick it up again … we'll let you know what we find." He dropped the call but his face remained downcast as all eyes turned to him. "The camera shows Gunny and the dogs getting into it with the occupants of a black Escalade … they struggled before they managed to drag Gunny into the back before heading to the north … the cameras lost them a few blocks over."

It took a moment, but the mention of the vehicle caused Deeks' head to snap up. "Was the driver's side mirror broken?"

After passing the question on the Eric, the big SEAL simply nodded in response.

"Damn! We had a run in with the driver a few hours ago … almost ran over me and Monty." Deeks was now getting angry. "Gunny and the driver shared some words and it almost got physical."

"Did the guy seem dangerous?" Carmen stepped up, her hands curled into fists at her sides and she looked like if something bad happened to Gunny, there would be even more blood spilled.

The blonde shook his head lightly. "No, not really … but there was something _off_ about him."

Callen was already heading toward the car. "Come on … we'll see if we can pick them up …"

"Wait!" Deeks was back kneeling beside Monty, whispering something that only the dog could hear. Monty gave another quick bark as he lowered his head and began to sniff the ground in an ever widening circle. Even though there was probably no scent left by either the vehicle or Gunny, if Short Round was on foot, the dog's distinctive smell would be easy for Monty to track. "Monty will find them."

Sam and Callen tried not to roll their eyes and it was hard to hide their reluctance to put any faith in the abilities of the retired bomb sniffing dog. The team leader turned once more toward his vehicle, his partner falling into step with him. "Come on, we're wasting time …"

He didn't get to finish his statement as Monty suddenly tore off up the street, his ears swept back and his tail rigid behind him. Deeks was sprinting off after his dog and all the other three could do was watch. When he reached the first corner, he called back over his shoulder. "Just trust us and follow!" Then he took off once more.

Sam stepped over to the waiting vehicle, an unbelieving expression on his face. "Did he just tell us to _follow_?"

"Just get in … maybe Eric and Nell can find something to help us out." Callen waited until both of his passengers were fastened in before pulling back into the street. As they followed Deeks as he ran down the sidewalk, it shocked him to find that with the heavy and slow traffic, the man and animal on foot were actually pulling ahead and might even leave them behind. "Traffic's slowing us down Sam … see if Eric can help us out."

After activating the vehicle's Bluetooth, Sam spoke to the team back at ops. "Eric, can you do anything about the traffic? We're getting tied up."

There was a pause then the Tech's voice resonated through the speakers. "I'm doing what I can, but there's a big concert tonight over at the stadium … traffic's a lot heavier than usual."

Carmen's arm shot out, pointing toward the windshield. "They're turning right."

"Got it … but they're getting too far ahead." Callen was getting a little frustrated at the way the chase was unfolding. With an unknown enemy and a possibly wounded former Marine at the end, things could get dicey in an instant. "Eric, can you track them?"

"I'll do what I can but they're heading into the warehouse district; there aren't a lot of traffic cam's in those areas."

Callen let out a sigh as he finally made the right turn. "Just do what you can and keep us posted."

Deeks had managed to keep pace with Monty for the first hundred yards, but the further they ran, the more the animal started to pull away. His lungs began to burn and his legs were beginning to feel the strain of running after his four legged companion. He was about to call out when Monty glanced over his shoulder and gave him a quizzical tilt of his head and seemed to understand that his master needed a little break. The detective was relieved when Monty slowed his pace, allowing him to close the distance in just a few strides. "Thanks partner … you can't get too far out in front … you've got four legs while I've only got two."

They had stopped at the mouth of a long access road that ran behind a row of abandoned warehouses that ran parallel to the street they had just been on. Deeks nodded toward the pavement. "Is this the way they went?"

Monty gave him a quick yelp and started running down the dusty street. Taking a deep breath, Deeks took off after the dog that was already several yards ahead.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Then he heard a single gunshot.

…

Short round had watched helplessly as his master was yanked away from him and snatched into the back of the big black box. He still had the taste of the big man's blood on his tongue and he'd hoped that he had been able to cause some serious damage to the one who had hurt his friend. Just when the door had slammed shut and hidden his master from sight, he'd heard the trusted voice call out the quick command. While the animal didn't know that it was in German or even know what language was all about, he knew exactly what it meant.

 _Follow. Track._

As the big black box pulled away with his master trapped inside, the dog fixated on the shape and distinctive odor of the vehicle, locking in on it through the strength of the neural scent receptors in his canine brain. Now, as long as he could maintain line-of-sight with the moving box, they would not get away.

When they pulled ahead slightly, he applied more power to drive his legs, keeping them in sight while not getting so close that they might notice him and make some drastic evasive maneuver. They made a quick right turn and Short Round had to slip between two larger moving boxes on the curb to keep them in his sights. As a tracker dog in Iraq, he'd been trained to follow suspected terrorists through much worse streets than anything that LA had to offer and without people shooting at him all the time, this was going to be a cakewalk.

But the further he ran, the more he began to fear that something bad would still happen before he could save his friend. The man who smelled just like his first master had been so kind and gentle with the animal when the sounds became too loud and he began to fear the world when the big light in the sky went behind the horizon. His new friend spoke kind words and knew the tickle spot under his front leg that made his back arch and his entire body twitch with pleasant sensations. This was not just the man who had taken care of him since his return from the land of the scary sounds and smells … he was the only family that the dog had and the animal would die before he allowed anything or anyone to hurt him.

Several pedestrians had to step out of the way as the shepherd-mix bolted along the sidewalk and some even expressed their concern for the determined set of his eyes and body. Though none dared get in his way, their eyes could only follow behind him as he pursued whatever had captured his attention. Whatever it was, it looked as if he would chase it to the gates of hell before he stopped. And even then, the animal's determination might not even stop then.

Short Round was only a short distance behind the black box when it suddenly turned into smaller street, one with lots of dirt and refuse scattered throughout. The animal paused at the mouth of the avenue, scanning the surrounding area for choke points and places where he could be surprised at the last moment. When the black box stopped moving several yards down the path, the animal slunk low, staying under the human's field of view. As he crept up to where they sat, he could hear their muffled voices that were filled with anger and tension, setting his heightened senses on full alert.

As he moved up behind the black box, Short Round slipped under the rear-end, his ears perked up and listening to the creaks of the vehicle as the humans moved around on the inside. There was the sound of moving metal and the muffled voices grew louder.

"Get him in the back of the warehouse." The driver opened his door and stepped out onto the dirty street, pointing toward a short chain-link fence that enclosed a walkway to the back of a metal-walled building. "Once inside, we'll take care of our friend here."

There was movement in the back seat as Tony and his comrade began to drag a weary Gunny from the rear of the vehicle. When his feet touched the ground, the two behemoths began to drag him the short distance to the rear of the building, their leader out in front, his stride cocky and arrogant.

"You know, I've only been in this area for a few weeks and I have to admit, most of my customers can't seem to get enough of my product."

Gunny's chest ached from the beating, but he managed to speak with conviction. "You're the one … the drugs …"

"Why yes, that's me." The man actually stopped and turned to take quick bow.

The Marine stood on his feet, causing the men at his arms to pause in their steps. "People have died … you've killed …"

"An occupational hazard of the business."

His dismissive attitude made Gunny's blood boil. "How can you say that? They were _people_ … my friends …"

The man's face morphed into a look of utter disgust. "They were nothing but common street trash. No one on this earth will ever miss them … just like no one will miss you." He reached out poked Gunny in the center of his chest, but something moving behind him in the alley caught his attention. When he turned, a disheveled old bag lady had crept out from between a pair of grungy dumpsters. "See, just like her … nothing nobody would ever miss."

That was the wrong thing to say.

"You talking about me, sonny?" Her voice sounded tired but there was something in the words and her stance.

"Just get out of here, grandma … you aren't even worth my time." He stepped up as if to shove her out of the way, he saw the shift in her eyes, but by then it was too late. He felt the explosion of pain between his legs as Stella brought her cane up into his groin with a speed that belayed her age. As his body deflated to the ground, the gangster wondered if he could simply pass out and end the pain that emanated at his testicles and seemed to reach every part of his body.

Tony had watched his boss challenge the little old bag lady and then witnessed her strike to the man's groin. He shared a quick glance to his partner before they dropped the restrained man between them to close on the woman. They were a few feet from her when a deep voice spoke from off to their right.

"You hurt Gunny? Not a smart thing to do."

Tony had just enough time to turn his head slightly before a man's fist slammed into his left temple, causing his world to explode in pinpricks of bright lights. His partner fared little better as another enormous man stepped up to slam a fist the size of Montana into his midsection, sending him doubling over in agony.

When Gunny looked up at his saviors, his was met with smiles from the two giants. "Franklin? Titus?"

The two men gave him a sheepish look, before looking down at his bound feet and hands. "You alright Gunny?"

"I am now. Thanks guys."

They moved to him quickly, they big hands catching him as he stumbled slightly.

"What are you guys doing here?"

The gazes turned to where Stella was ambling over toward them. "We … uh … we were making sure Stella got home okay. You know, to help make up for how we acted this morning."

Gunny gave them each a warm smile but suddenly his expression faltered as a cold laugh interrupted them. When they all looked to where his eyes had locked, they found the man in the expensive suit leaning against the fence and pointing a big, ugly pistol right at them.

"Well, now it looks like I'm going to do a little more street cleaning than I had originally planned." His smile eased into a snarl, but his eyes remained empty, like he was looking at something on the bottom of his shoe.

The Marine could see the man's hand muscles tensing to squeeze the trigger when something furry and brown shot past his legs and launched itself at the man's outstretched arm. The man swung the weapon down and Gunny could only call out just as a single gunshot cracked through the air.

"Short Round!"

...


	7. Chapter 7

SHORT ROUND

Chapter 7

…

As they closed, Deeks caught sight of a man with a pistol in his right hand and a dog clamped onto the his arm. There was shouting and yelling as Titus and Franklin were ducking behind whatever cover they could find as Gunny moved closer and the gun went off again, the bullet striking the front fender of the black Escalade. The man let out a primal scream and redoubled his efforts to shake the animal loose but Short Round had no intention of letting go any time soon.

The detective was about to call out but then he saw his own dog preparing to enter the fray, Monty bracing to leap onto the well-dressed man. It all went to hell quickly when the second animal piled on, knocking the man completely off balance and causing him to stagger along the fence. When he finally lost his footing, Short Round had to release his hold or risk being crushed under the man as he fell. The dog skittered away out of range and prepared to charge once more.

At that moment, the gunman showed surprising agility by springing to his feet, the gun leveling straight at the animal turning toward him. The gun discharged for the third time but the bullet caught nothing but air as Gunny managed to short over and slam his shoulder into the man's side, sending him to the ground with the Marine right on top of him. Still restrained, he could only lace his fingers together and pummel the man under him with his linked hands.

"Stop … shooting … at … my … dog!" His clenched hands landed again and again, striking the man's head over and over as his rage found a release.

Deeks stepped up, seeing that the man on the ground was almost unconscious, his face becoming a bloody mess as Gunny's joined fists continued to rain down on his flesh. He stepped up and placed a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder, giving him squeeze to let him know backup had arrived. "Hey Gunny … he's out … you got him."

The words must have been lost in the breeze because they seemed to make no difference as the fists continued to fall. Taking a tighter grip, Deeks gave him a more solid tug, turning the man's body slightly and calling out more forcefully. "Knock it off Gunny … he's had it."

It was like the switch suddenly flipped inside the Marine, his hands pausing in mid-air and his shoulders relaxing as his chest heaved as his lungs sucked in air. His breaths came in ragged pants, his eyes ablaze in anger at the man under him and fear for what could have ended with the loss of his best friend on the planet. He turned slightly to look up at Deeks and the understanding smile on the man's face causing a wave of relief to wash over him. "Stretch?"

"Yeah, it's me Gunny." Deeks stood up straight, glancing down at the man on the ground and Gunny's bloodied knuckles. "You good?"

Gunny inclined his head toward the supine man under him, a slight smirk forming on his lips. "Better than him."

With his legs still zip tied, Gunny struggled to gain some footing so he could stand, but before Deeks could move to help him, two pairs of thick arms caught the Marine under his arms and gently lifted him up enough for him to get to his feet. Franklin and Titus held him between them, their eyes concerned and a little fearful of what they had just been through. Titus tipped his head toward the man they were all standing over as Franklin pulled a sharpened piece of metal from his shoe and cut away the zip ties. "Who is that, Gunny?"

Gunny almost spit out the words. "He's the one responsible for the overdoses … he's the one putting the coke out on the streets." The expression on his face was one of restraint but also one of revulsion.

Stella moved up beside them, her cane still clutched as if she was going to use it like a club once more to pummel the man who was moaning softly on the ground. "Let him back up … I got some more licks left in me."

Gunny held up his freed hands. "Whoa there girl … I don't think he's up for round two." Something pushed against his legs and he dropped to his knee, Short Round nuzzling into him as the man tugged the animal tenderly to his chest. "Hey boy … God, you really saved my butt back there."

Short Round was panting heavily, but his eyes were bright and excited, like he'd just had the time of his life. His tongue came out and licked across his master's left cheek, leaving a trail of saliva in its wake. Gunny ran his hands over the animal's back and sides, taking a moment to check of wounds just in case one of the bullets might have grazed him.

As Gunny finished his assessment, the dog turned his head to the side as Monty ambled up, looking a little dazed. Deeks reached down and ran his hand along the dog's back, petting him affectionately across the top of his head and tugging on one of his floppy ears. When Monty looked up with an approval seeking look in the depths of his eyes, the blonde leaned down while pulling the dog against his chest.

"Monty, that was like something out of the 'Avengers' … totally kick-ass." The words were full of bravado but on the inside, Deeks' heart was still pounding a mile a minute at the danger his dog had put himself in. He made a mental note to buy a new doggy bed and whatever else his friend wanted when they got back home.

His thoughts were interrupted when a dark BMW skidded up behind the Escalade, the red passenger door flying open even before the vehicle came to a complete stop. Carmen was moving toward them as Sam struggled to catch up with the auburn haired firebrand and she was in front of Gunny before he could even register what was happening. The punch to his right arm announcing her displeasure with the rollercoaster her emotions had been on in the past few minutes. "You _idiot_ … you could have been … argh!" When the words failed her, she spun away, frustrated at her outburst and the way her heart felt lighter knowing that he was actually okay.

Gunny cast a perplexed look over to Deeks. "What did I do?"

Deeks shook his head in sympathy for the older man who was now cautiously following Carmen with his eyes. "It's just a woman thing man … just take it and move on."

Callen approached the little group, his hand discretely at the side arm on his hip that was hidden under his shirt. "You guys okay?" He looked at each one's face in turn, receiving firms nods in response as Sam retrieved the dropped firearm while giving the two henchmen a look that would have melted case-hardened steel. They chose to remain splayed out on the ground, their bodies still aching from the punches delivered by Titus and Franklin who were still towering over them, standing guard as the wails of sirens came closer and closer.

Soon, the dealer and his two goons were laying side-by-side face down in the dirt, their hands cuffed behind their backs, the expensive suit ruined beyond repair. A pair of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department patrol cars and a lone ambulance parked along the street, the deputies taking everyone's statements, leaving Callen and Sam to take custody of the two bit dealer and charge him with the deaths of the veterans who had died when the drugs had taken their toll. After getting checked by the EMTs, Deeks and Gunny found themselves leaning against the trunk of Callen's BMW while Carmen rested against the front bumper of one of the LEO's vehicles a few yards away.

"Hell of a day, Stretch." Gunny took a sip from the water bottle that Callen had provided.

Deeks tugged his ragged cap off his head, letting his blonde hair spill out along his shoulders. "Yeah, but a good one."

"So, those guys friends of yours?"

The Marine's question causing a dull burn to start in the pit of the detective's stomach but he swallowed the feeling before it took root. This man had been instrumental in bringing down the poison that was killing and he deserved the truth. "Yeah, about that …"

Gunny's hand came up to stop him. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

When he glanced over, Deeks caught the glimmer in the other man's eyes and knew the gig was up. He dropped his eyes to the ground and kept his voice low. "How'd you know?"

Gunny gave him a warm chuckle. "I may talk slow, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid. Two NCIS agents showing up out of nowhere, the silent conversation you guys had with just your eyes, and the feeling in my gut that something nefarious was going on."

Deeks looked over. " _Nefarious_ … really?"

"I have a few big words left in my lexicon, but I only bring them out on special occasions." Gunny gave his friend a lopsided grin. "LAPD?"

Deeks nodded. "Yeah, but I need to keep my cover for as long as possible."

"I'll take it to my grave, brother." Gunny pointed toward Deeks disheveled appearance. "From the look of it, this is something that you've put a lot of effort and energy into … I don't want to mess up your gig."

Opening his mouth to respond, Deeks paused when Callen and Sam walked over, opting to address them instead. "We got this wrapped up?"

Callen caught on that Gunny was onto the operation but played it safe by keeping the relayed information to jus the basics. "Yeah, we got 'em … and they had about half a kilo of coke under the rear seat. We're pretty sure it'll match the stuff they found in the victim's bloodstream." The agent's watched the Marine's demeanor fall slightly. "Gunny, you okay?"

The older man gave him a crooked smirk. "Just wish that so many hadn't died before it all stopped."

That poured a bucket of cold water on any of the elation they were all feeling about the relative ease at which a major drug distributor was taken down. The deaths had resulted from nothing more than one man's greed and desire for power and money. People who had been willing to give their lives in defense of their country had died alone and helpless on the dirty streets of one of America's largest and wealthiest cities.

After a moment or two, Deeks cleared his throat. "So, what did you find out over at the hospital?"

Sam tucked his hands into his pockets. "We think that we've got the source over there nailed down. LAPD is taking these guys into custody and we're going back to track down one of the nurses that may have been supplying the medications to the people on the streets."

Gunny looked like he'd been slapped. "You mean … there's more to this?"

"Unfortunately … yeah, there's more." Deeks let his eyes fall to the ground, knowing that explaining this to the Leatherneck was going to be a very hard conversation indeed. Just before he began to lay it all out, he took a moment to look over at Carmen who was watching them all with wary eyes. The fear and anger from earlier had vanished to be replaced by concern for the man standing beside him.

To the seasoned detective, it appeared as if she was forcibly holding herself back from running over to wrap her arms around Gunny as she fought some of the emotions warring on the inside. There was more going on than simple worry over a man she barely knew and if he didn't know any better, Deeks would have to say she looked almost stuck.

Smitten.

Whatever.

…

 _Later, at the boatshed …_

"He looks scared." Sam leaned back against the conference table in front of the monitor screen, his arms folded across his wide chest.

Callen's head tilted slightly to the right. "Well, considering that he probably knows why we brought him in here … he should be."

Pushing himself off the table, Sam inclined his head toward the screen that showed a very nervous and clearly agitated Angel Vellegas squirming in the metal chair in the small interrogation room. They had left him alone in there for the better part of an hour and the longer the clocked ticked, the more nervous the younger man became. "So, how do we play this? Good agent, bad agent? Bad agent, very bad agent?"

Stepping up beside his partner, Callen's expression was a little more relaxed. "I don't think any of those scenarios are what we need. From what I'm seeing, he looks like he's about to crack all on his own."

As they moved into the narrow hallway, Sam nodded in agreement. "You may be right. My own feelings may be affecting how I see this."

"This guy isn't a cold drug dealer like Evans … at least that's not what I'm picking up." Callen paused with his hand on the door knob.

Sam let out long breath, clearing his lungs. "Then I'll let you lead and I'll only come in when … or _if_ … it's needed." It was going to be hard for the SEAL to simply sit back while the interrogation proceeded. He knew the feelings of anger and rage at the deaths of the homeless veterans, no matter if the PTSD drugs that Angel had supplied weren't the main culprits, were not going to be easy to rein in and control.

"You good?" Callen's question was laced with concern.

Sam nodded and gave his friend a confident smile. "Yep. Let's do this."

Angel almost jumped out of his chair when the door was suddenly flung open and the two surly agents blew into the small room. The smaller man, who had identified himself earlier as Agent Callen, plopped down in the chair on the other side of the table, a large manila folder in his hands, while the muscled one leaned casually against the wall in the corner to Angel's left side. The dark skinned agent had a passive expression on his face, but there was something dangerous lurking behind the man's eyes and demeanor. Standing just inside Angel's peripheral vision, the nervous man was torn between looking at the agent across from him and the man behind him who was making him even more nervous with each passing second.

The room remained in silence for far too long and Angel was only aware of the sound of his rapid heartbeat thumping in his ears. Just when he could take it no longer, the calmer agent spoke up.

"Do you know why you're here, Mr. Vellegas?"

He tried to play it cool, as if this sort of thing happened every day, but when he spoke, he sounded more like a teenaged boy who's voice decided to change the moment he spoke to the cutest girl in the class. "No - _squeek_ \- ahem … I mean … no, I haven't the foggiest."

Callen's eyes were locked on the folder in front of him and without raising his head, he paused for a moment before glancing up. "Hmmmm … " That was all he said before turning his attention back down to the folder which he opened slowly, dragging the anxiety out even more as he read first one page then another … then another.

Angel felt the heat in the room rise several degrees in the long wait before the agent finally sat back in his chair and locked a pair of steel-gray eyes onto his own. The young man wished that the man had kept on reading.

"You are one of only four people with access to the sign out logs at the hospital's pharmacy, isn't that correct?" Callen kept his voice soft and even, his facial expression neutral.

"Uh … yes. I guess so."

"According to the documents that the hospital provided … then it's a definite _yes._ "

Angel nodded because he just couldn't get his mouth to work right.

"Also, the security cameras and witnesses place you in or near the pharmacy at some, shall we say, _odd_ hours."

Another nod.

"In fact, you were there earlier today … on a Saturday … when the pharmacy is supposed to be closed." Callen paused between his phrases, letting the truth of the matter slowly seep into the young man.

"I had some paperwork to catch up on … we have an audit next week and we are way behind."

Callen's eyes cut to his partner who was remaining silent and watchful in the corner. "Sounds like the actions of a dedicated employee, don't you think so, Sam?"

"Could be … " Sam's voice wasn't as gentle. " … or it could be someone trying to sneak in and cover his tracks before it all blows up in his face."

Angel shifted in his seat, his hands knotting together as he tried to hide his ever growing panic. "Yeah, coming in on the weekend lets me work without being disturbed."

"Or _discovered_." Callen's tone had made a slight and darker shift.

When the young man's eyes dropped to the table top, the senior agent leaned over the table, placing his hands palm down on either side of the open folder. "Let me tell you what _we've_ discovered. A short time ago, it was brought to our attention that there had been some deaths among the homeless who populate the area around the VA hospital where you work. It was also discovered that those people died as a result of some very nasty, uncut cocaine that they had injected into their systems."

Angel's eyes shot up. "I'm no drug dealer! And if that's all you've got, then I'm going to …" He almost rose from his seat, but the cold, threatening glare the agent sent him had him sinking back into the chair.

Callen waited until the man's moment of bravado passed before he continued. "As I was saying, these people died as a result of the coke in their systems … but there were other drugs there as well." Without looking down, he slid a piece of paper across the table, turning it so that Angel could look down and read it if he chose to. When the man made no move to look anywhere but at his own hands, the agent spoke as he tapped the forensic chemical report. "They had levels of certain prescription drugs in their systems, ones mainly used for the treatment of PTSD and the resulting depression. Drugs that are kept in abundance in the pharmacy where you have access."

Both agents could see something shifting in the young man, an emotion that strongly resembled regret but he was still fighting it. "That doesn't mean anything … they could have gotten them from anywhere … from anyone."

This time Sam spoke from the corner where he had been hovering. "Yes, that's possible." He pushed himself off the wall and moved to stand at the edge of the table where he rested his thick hands. "But when we showed a group of pictures to a man our partner rescued off the street … the funny thing was … yours was the one he picked out, even called you his 'Angel'."

The younger man's face fell to his lap, the shaking in his hands ceasing.

Callen slipped the report back into the folder, his gaze fixed at the man across the table. "The anti-psychotic drugs made it impossible for the victims to know that something was wrong … left them in a haze that only allowed them to fall under the cocaine's power and, for some, the combination of the two turned out to be fatal."

Angel's resolve broke at the last word. "Oh God … " He dropped his head into his hands, the enormity of the situation crashing over him like an enormous wave at the beach. " … I didn't mean for that to … oh God, what have I done?"

Callen and Sam waited a moment before the blue-eyed agent spoke, his voice calm and understanding. "Angel … " When the man looked up, there were tears at the edges of his eyes. " … tell us, how did this start?"

Angel let out a long sigh, the truth the only way to ease the pain in his heart. "I was only trying to help … I didn't mean for any of this … any of this … " He swallowed the burning in the back of his throat and fixed his eyes on a spot on the wall over Callen's shoulder, his confession spilling out in a low monotone. "I saw them, day in and day out … coming to the hospital for help … but there were so many of them and not enough doctors, not enough help to go around. I started slipping out with the samples that the pharmaceutical companies sent to the hospital … you know, the free ones that no one keeps track of?"

Callen nodded, his mind catching on to the motivations behind the nurse's actions. It didn't make it any easier to handle the deaths that occurred; but at least now, he could see the _why_ behind the man's actions.

"But those soon ran out … so I started changing the prescriptions that some of the doctors were writing for their patients. With their lousy handwriting, it was simple to make a three into an eight … or a one into a four. When I filled the orders, I simply kept the difference and handed them to the ones out on the streets that seemed to need them the most."

Sam's anger faded slightly, the man's intent fairly decent but with horrible execution. "But you aren't a physician … nor a phycologist … you had no right to do that. You didn't take into account their poor nutrition, health, mental status … any of it."

"Do you think I don't know that!? I was only trying to help when no one else would!"

It was a scream of frustration and bitterness, but Callen didn't let it go much further than that. "And people died because of it."

After a second or two, Angel broke. "I'm sorry … I'm so … I didn't mean for any of this to … I'm so sorry."

Callen simply closed the folder, and with one final and sympathetic glance at the sobbing man, he followed his silent partner out of the room. Their thoughts over the next few days would be haunted by the anguished cries of a man and his misguided attempt to lend aid, only to cause heartache in the end.

...


	8. Epilogue

SHORT ROUND

Epilogue

…

 _A few weeks later ..._

Gunny knew that there had been other times in his life when he had been more nervous than he was at that particular moment, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember any of them. Standing in front of a plain white door with a familiar name stenciled across the name plate, he felt like a young student standing just outside the principal's office, the rest of his life measured in solitary seconds. He had been in the same spot for several minutes, silently thanking whoever decided that solid doors were better than those with windows. There was no way that the office's occupant could know that he was dragging this out for as long as possible.

He should knock, he knew that, but his hand refused to rise to rap against the wood paneling. Maybe should leave and come back later, when his legs were finished knocking together and his heart rate had slowed to a less tachycardic rate.

No. He couldn't leave.

He had made a promise and one of the many traits that made a Marine a _Marine_ , was that they kept their word. Once they made a promise, they would die before breaking it.

 _Just knock on the door, you big idiot, what are you scared of?_

The question he had just asked himself rattled around in his brain for a lot longer than was really necessary before he answered it himself.

 _I have no freaking idea._

His forgotten companion remained motionless by his side, the dog's tail making a soft swishing sound as it swung back and forth across the tiled floor of the hallway. Short Round cast an inquisitive look up at his master and friend, wondering just how much longer they were going to stay in the same place. The animal didn't really mind, it was one of the many things that he'd been trained to do all those years ago. He was content to remain fixed in that spot until the end of time, if that's what his master required of him. It was a little aggravating because he could both hear and smell the person on the other side of the barrier between them, and he was itching to get closer to that particular person as soon as possible.

But it appeared that his friend had developed a bad case of indecision and maybe he needed a little 'help' in breaking the momentary lapse of movement.

Gunny was so lost in his thoughts of how he could escape without alerting the person in the room to his presence, that when Short Round let out a sharp bark toward the door, the Marine literally jumped off the floor.

"Geez, buddy … don't do that." He reached up to place his hand over his heart that was now thumping madly against the inside of his chest. As his breathing slowed, Gunny patted his friend on the top of his head, ruffling the fur between the dog's ears, just the way he liked it. "You're going to give daddy a heart attack one day."

Short Round just glanced up with a look that said the words _Who? Me?,_ that Gunny would have sworn the animal understood exactly what he'd just said. Turning away, the man started to step around the corner and out from in front of the door that for some reason had him shaking in his boots. He was about to call the dog to his side, when the door slid open and the woman he'd been avoiding stepped out to great them. Well, one of them anyway.

"Hey, Short Round … how are we today?" Carmen Snyder knelt in front of the animal, her hand dipping under his chin where she knew he liked to be scratched. The dog curled up into himself, his right leg thumming against the floor as the tickling sensations cascaded down his side to his tail. "Such a good boy … yes you are … now where is that scruffy looking Jarhead that you're always hanging around?" She'd caught sight of the nervous man the moment she came through her door, but she didn't want to add any more anxiety to him than what he was already feeling, so she kept her eyes on the dog.

"Who's _scruffy_ looking?" Gunny stepped up, false indignation painted across his face and he let the Jarhead comment slide as well; Carmen one of the few who he allowed to refer to him by the moniker that some would call an insult.

Carmen had her retort ready in an instant and was chuckling lightly as she slowly stood, but when she finally turned to actually look at the man's face, she froze. For a moment, she didn't recognize the man standing before her and it took her a moment to catch her breath. "Oh Gunny … nice to see you."

 _Smooth Carmen … real smooth._

Something warm and tingly took flight in her stomach and fluttered its way up into her chest and she fought down the sudden urge to reach out and touch him.

Gunny stood before her, his previously unruly beard was now neatly trimmed in a tight goatee, his long hair slightly shorter but still long enough to be pulled back into a short ponytail tied behind his neck. In all of her years working at the hospital, she would be hard pressed to come up with an image of anyone who looked as good as he did at that moment. Either he had caught the shift in her demeanor or his own self-consciousness kicked in, because he dropped his eyes to the floor as his hands suddenly found themselves with nothing better to do than to twitch uselessly at his side.

That only gave Carmen time to sweep her eyes over the form-fitting, Navy blue shirt that was stretched taunt across the man's chest, sculpted across his corded muscles. If her eyes hadn't popped out of her head already, they surely did now. When she dropped her own eyes to the floor, she couldn't help but notice how the pleated Khakis he was wearing set off his strong legs and narrow hips.

 _Holy sweet Moses._

She almost swallowed her own tongue.

"Carmen?" Gunny reached out to steady her when she looked like she was about to tip over.

Shaking her head to clear out the cobwebs that had suddenly taken up residence in her brain, Carmen recovered quickly. "Yeah … hi."

 _Yeah … hi. Really?_ If she could have kicked herself without him seeing her do it, she would have.

"Hey … I … uh … I'm here for our appointment."

He glanced up at her as he scratched lightly at a spot over the left side of his collar-bone, a trait that she knew as one of his 'tells'. It was a small comfort that he appeared as nervous as she was. She didn't think the man could be any more adorable if he tried and it left her rather flummoxed.

"Appointment?"

"Yes ma'am." His military bearing returned and the little, shy boy was quickly replaced with the professional military man that he had been in another life. "I was told to be at your office at 1600 hours for a counseling session now that I am officially working for the hospital."

The world crashed back into Carmen and her brain started working again. Gunny was standing before her, wearing the uniform of the men and women who were assisting with the rehabilitation of the patients suffering from PTSD and depression; many of them having recovered from those afflictions as well. Her glowing recommendation, as well as a call to the hospital's personnel department from a mysterious and yet commanding Henrietta Lange, had gone a long way to secure his position. There was also a letter of appreciation from the LAPD regarding his assistance in taking down a local drug dealer, signed by a Detective Martin Deeks. When the director of patient services had met Gunny and Short Round, they had both been fast-tracked into the fledgling program where animals, especially former military or police dogs, were paired with patients to act as helpmates.

So far, the results had been astounding.

"Well then, why don't you gentlemen come on in and make yourselves comfortable." Carmen gestured toward her office, allowing her guests to enter before she followed, closing the door gently behind her.

Gunny waited beside one of the chairs in front of her desk, Short Round standing beside him. They remained that way until Carmen lowered herself into her own seat, the Marine's politeness touching her already pounding heart. She removed a small note pad from a side drawer and took a pen from the many sitting in a coffee cup on her desk. They simply stared at each other for several moments, neither quite sure how to start.

The tension built until they had no choice but to laugh lightly at the ridiculousness of the situation. When she looked up at him, the boyish grin on his face was almost her undoing and she knew she had to get the session in hand before it grew even more awkward. Carmen quickly cleared her throat and proceeded to safer aspects of his life now that things were changing. "So, how are things at your new place?"

Gunny had recently moved into one of the small apartments over at the rehab center that housed the staff members who were to remain on-site. It had given him a place to stay and he was able to be on short notice in case some rapid interventions were required. To those on the outside, it didn't appear to be much of anything, but to the Marine who had seen combat and life out on the streets, it was a step in the right direction … not only for his own recovery, but for a chance to serve his fellow veterans who had suffered the same as he had.

"Things are great … the guys are wonderful and have made me feel right at home."

Carmen's heart swelled in her chest. "I'm so proud of you … _Pops_."

Gunny grinned at the new nickname he been saddled with by several of the much younger patients and staff members. He'd taken it in stride and quickly become the designated 'father' of his wing in the center. "You guys think you're so cute …" He caught the serious expression on her face and he shifted his response quickly. " … but thank you, I couldn't have done it without you."

Carmen shook her head. "You did it all on your own … I merely suggested that you and your partner would be perfect additions to the new program over there."

His eyes cut to hers, locking her in place with an intensity that she'd never experienced before in her life. "No, Carmen … you've done so much more than that, and I … _we_ … will be eternally grateful."

Carmen wasn't able to hide her blush this time. When she was brave enough to finally look up at him, the affection she saw reflected back at her in the depths of his brown eyes took her breath away.

Seeing that he was making her face turn a soft shade of pink, Gunny felt like he needed to bail her out. "Well, now that we're here … what do we talk about?"

She had so many questions to ask him about who he was, what his past was like, and how he'd ended up living out on the streets, but there was one that had been nagging at her from almost the first moment she had met him. Clearing her throat so that he would hear her clearly, she smiled as she spoke. "You know my name, but I only know you as _Gunny_."

He chuckled at the simplicity of the request, his heart soaring at her curiosity to find out just a little more about the real 'him'. "I thought you guys would have dug that up when you hired me."

"Personnel has all of your pertinent employee information and I have your file right here." Carmen tapped the folder sitting in the middle of her desktop with one long finger. "I figured it would be something that you would want to share with me … but _only_ if and when you want to."

Her sweet request caused a burning sensation to tingle in the center of his chest and for a moment, Gunny remembered what it was like to accept the affection of a beautiful woman. Her smile was warm and making him feel something that he hadn't felt in far too long … _pride_. Earlier, she'd said she was proud of him and her kind actions only reinforced that statement, almost making the man blush.

Now, here she was, letting him decide how much to share, treating him with with dignity that he was afraid that he'd lost when he could no longer function in normal society. Gunny had met too many people who had treated him like he wasn't worth their time or effort or even their humanity. But there had been others … Robby and the folks who worked with the street ministry, giving the homeless jackets and food … a LAPD detective who slipped in and out of his world without much fanfare but who had stood with him and became a good friend in a matter of hours … and now there was this breath-takingly beautiful woman who was willing to spend a little time with him while he talked about how his life had taken too many hits for him to deal with on his own.

The world was turning and Gunny was almost a little afraid to hold on to tightly for fear of it slipping through his fingers once more. Then Carmen smiled that shy one that he felt she reserved for him and him alone, then Short Round nudged his leg with the side of his muzzle, the bond of love with the animal bringing a gentle tear to the corner of the man's eye. He wiped it away quickly and turned slowly to focus on the request that Carmen had made, a fire of bravery swelling up within him with the heat of roaring blaze.

"I will share my name with you …"

Something in his tone caught Carmen's attention and she slid forward in her seat, the anticipation tugging at her patience. When his lips curled into a sly grin, her heart skipped a beat and she wondered if her lungs were still working.

" … but I would like you to answer a question for me before I do."

Her nod was quick and emphatic.

Gunny mouth suddenly went as dry as cotton but this was too important to stop now. "Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee, maybe grab something to eat … or something?"

Carmen sucked in a breath, hoping she didn't sound too anxious. "Why, Gunny … are you asking me out on a _date_?" For a brief moment, she feared her teasing response would cause him to beat a hasty retreat, but she saw the proud Marine he had once been in the way he squared his shoulders and set his burning gaze on her.

"Why, yes ma'am … I guess I am."

Her answer was a tender sigh. "Yes … I would love to."

Gunny paused, waiting for her to lift her eyebrow in annoyance as he held back his portion of the quid pro quo. He didn't make her wait too long.

" _Gideon_ … my name is Gideon."

…

 _Across town …_

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Deeks felt his girlfriend's arm encircle his waist as she slipped up behind him as he stood on the back patio of her bungalow that they were now sharing. The warmth of her body pressing against his bare back caused him to momentarily forget exactly what it was his mind had been focused on just a moment ago.

"Not much."

Kensi gently pinched his side. " _Liar._ "

Chuckling softly, Deeks spun within the circle of her arms, his hands dropping to her hips and tugging her closer. "You think you know me so well, don't ya?"

"Pretty well … yes … yes I do." The brunette draped her arms over his shoulders, letting her hands curl easily into his blonde hair. "And I always know when you've got something rattling around in that oddly-shaped gourd at the top of your neck."

Deeks leaned closer, his lips pressing against the middle of her forehead. " _Oddly-shaped_ … wow, thanks for the ego booster." He felt rather than saw her grin when she leaned against him.

"Your _ego_ is just fine … really _fine_ in fact." This time, she pinched his ass.

They were content to hold each other for a few more moments before he nuzzled into her hair, inhaling the soft scent of lavender and cinnamon from her shampoo. "I was just thinking about Gunny and Short Round … wondering what they're doing … if they're okay."

Kensi picked up on the concern in his tone and the softness words. "I know … and I can't tell you what it means to me that they were there watching over you and Monty." She hadn't talked about how helpless she had felt sitting up in operations listening to Callen and Sam's report over the speakers. Her mind had played out all the bad scenarios of what if the dealer had grabbed Deeks instead … what if the gun shots had hit him or Monty … what if … what if … what if.

"Stop it." His mouth tickled her ear when he whispered tenderly next to her cheek. "I know you too and I know when that adorable mind of yours starts running through all the things that could have gone wrong."

Kensi took a deep breath, taking him in and the fact that, once again, the fates had been on their side and he had come home to her. "I just hated that I wasn't there with you."

He pressed his nose against her temple, his arms gripping her tightly. "Kens … you're _always_ with me."

The kiss was soft and heated, lasting until they finally had to breathe. When they pulled back, Kensi brushed his nose with her own, her eyes alight with contentment and the knowledge that just like her boyfriend, she was home as well. She ran a finger across his bottom lip, letting the earlier conversation continue. "I heard a certain Marine and his faithful canine are now part of the hospital's service animal program … thanks to a phone call from our boss and a letter of recommendation penned by a sexy LAPD detective."

"And here I thought moving in together meant that we were exclusive." His lips curled into a smirk. "Now I have to wonder which hunks down at the precinct have caught my girl's eye."

" _Stop_."

"Is it Danners? He looks kinda cut with those bow ties he likes to wear." Deeks was beginning to enjoy this.

"Danners, really? He's old enough to be my father …" She was going to hit him, and soon.

"Too old, you're right … maybe Sims then, I heard that his hair replacement therapy is going pretty good; the last patch they gave him actually took root."

Or she was going to hurt herself laughing.

"I mean it Marty …"

"The hair is always a big selling point with you, isn't it? Must be Sergeant Sullivan then … ever since he hmmmmphhh …"

Kensi cut him off by clamping her hand over his mouth and glaring at him with a look that let him know that he'd made his point but if he didn't want to spend the night on her couch, he'd let it go. He chuckled behind her hand and just before she pulled away, he licked her palm, illiciting a small shriek that morphed into soft laughter when she caught his boyish grin. She slapped playfully at his chest but he caught her arm and tugged it to his chest, the silly moment slipping away when his eyes turned serious.

Deeks dropped his chin to her shoulder as he traced nonsensical patterns on her back with his other hand. "I was just so glad that he was willing to accept the help and is now helping others. Sometimes … sometimes they prefer to remain shadows, not really part of this world."

Kensi felt a pang of long forgotten memories of her own time spent living as a shadow on the streets and felt his description was accurate. "You get to the point where you have to decide if you want to live or just exist. I think Gunny has made his decision and I'm proud that you were there for him. You always find a way to touch everyone that you come in contact with … it's one of the many things that I love about you."

"Really?"

Kensi turned her head and pressed her lips to his cheek. " _Really,_ really."

Deeks let the shiver run its course through his entire body, ending at the tips of his toes. He nestled into his lover's embrace, letting the strength and heat of her body ease the tension that had been plaguing him over the past few days. Hetty had informed him of Gunny's acceptance of the position when the hospital offered it to him and he felt no small measure of satisfaction that not only had the drug case been closed quickly, before there were any more victims. He did feel sorry for Angel, a man who seen the suffering and hurting of too many people and had only wanted to help, but his actions had been misguided, only adding more pain and suffering.

"Maybe after he get's a little more settled, we could drop by and check up on him?" Kensi's hands cupped his jaw, forcing him to look right into her mismatched eyes. "I'm sure Monty would like to see his friend as well."

Deeks rested his forehead on hers. "And that's one of the many reasons why I love you."

"Really?"

Just before he slanted his lips across hers, she heard him whisper in that tone that lit her on fire.

"Really, _really_."

THE END


End file.
